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Which tense does the sentence use?
Mona will print her name with care. | [
"present tense",
"future tense",
"past tense"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, print. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Complete the sentence.
Sewing an apron is a (). | [
"chemical change",
"physical change"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Identify physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
Cutting a piece of paper is a physical change. The cut pieces are still made of paper.
A change of state is a type of physical change. For example, ice melting is a physical change. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water. | Sewing an apron is a physical change. The fabric and thread that make up the apron get a new shape, but the type of matter in each of them does not change. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Steven's brother Jim wondered whether he ran fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon.",
"Steven's brother Jim wondered whether Steven ran fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The first answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun he could refer to Steven or Jim.
The second answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. He has been replaced with Steven.
Steven's brother Jim wondered whether Steven ran fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
tearing a piece of paper
breaking a piece of glass | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, ice melting is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Tearing a piece of paper is a physical change. The paper tears into pieces. But each piece is still made of paper.
Breaking a piece of glass is a physical change. The glass gets broken into pieces. But each piece is still made of the same type of matter.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. No new matter is created.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. They are not chemical changes.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
What is the volume of a large soup pot? | [
"7 liters",
"7 milliliters"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using metric units, volume may be written in units of milliliters or liters.
There are 1,000 milliliters in 1 liter. So, 1 milliliter is much less than 1 liter.
A raindrop has a volume of about 20 milliliters, while a large soda bottle has a volume of 2 liters. The flask shown here measures volumes up to 500 milliliters. | The better estimate for the volume of a large soup pot is 7 liters.
7 milliliters is too little. |
Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her word choice?
When I said that I wanted to take a cooking class, I didn't know what I was getting into. I love cooking, but I'm very shy and hate being in the spotlight. The first time the teacher asked me to do a culinary technique, my hands were sweating profusely. As I held the heavy utility knife in my sweaty hand, it fell to the floor. The class had just started, and I had already made a terrible first impression! My face was red, but I got the knife, put it in the sink, took a clean one, and cut the slab of raw bluefin tuna into paper-thin pieces. Everyone in the class—even the instructor—gave me a round of applause. | [
"by adding technical terms",
"by using more precise verbs",
"by using words with more appropriate connotations"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Editing and revising | Suggest appropriate revisions | During peer review, you read and respond to a fellow student's writing. While there are many methods and strategies that you can use for reviewing a text, it is generally helpful to frame your suggestions in concrete and constructive ways and to consider the following areas for revision:
Ideas and development: Does the writer express a clear idea and develop it with evidence, examples, or analysis?
Organization: Does the writer order ideas in a clear, logical way so that they build on one another and are easy to follow?
Voice: Does the writer maintain an appropriate voice, such as a formal and objective voice in an academic essay or an engaging and expressive voice in a narrative essay?
Sentence fluency: Does the writer use sentences that vary in structure and length to create a sense of rhythm and flow within and between sentences, or does the writing sound choppy, rambling, or repetitive?
Word choice: Does the writer use words accurately and precisely to create clear, effective, and engaging writing?
Grammar and mechanics: Does the writer follow appropriate conventions, using accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar to create writing that is correct and easy to read? | The writer could best improve his or her word choice by using more precise verbs.
For example, the writer could replace the underlined words with verbs such as announced, realize, adore, abhor, demonstrate, gripped, clanged, retrieved, deposited, selected, and sliced.
When I said that I wanted to take a cooking class, I didn't know what I was getting into. I love cooking, but I'm very shy and hate being in the spotlight. The first time the teacher asked me to do a culinary technique, my hands were sweating profusely. As I held the heavy utility knife in my sweaty hand, it fell to the floor. The class had just started, and I had already made a terrible first impression! My face was red, but I got the knife, put it in the sink, took a clean one, and cut the slab of raw bluefin tuna into paper-thin pieces. Everyone in the class—even the instructor—gave me a round of applause. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Logan inherited this trait? | [
"Logan's mother has blue eyes. She passed this trait down to Logan.",
"Logan likes to wear a blue sweater to match his blue eyes."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Logan has blue eyes. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Katy plays soccer. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | Hint: Playing soccer takes practice. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | People are not born knowing how to play soccer. Instead, some people learn how to play soccer. Playing the sport takes practice. So, playing soccer is an acquired trait. |
Based on this information, what is Holly's phenotype for the whisker type trait? | [
"straight whiskers",
"curved whiskers"
] | 0 | In a group of Syrian hamsters, some individuals have straight whiskers and others have curved whiskers. In this group, the gene for the whisker type trait has two alleles. The allele for curved whiskers (h) is recessive to the allele for straight whiskers (H).
Holly is a Syrian hamster from this group. Holly has the heterozygous genotype Hh for the whisker type gene. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | You need to determine Holly's phenotype for the whisker type trait. First, consider the alleles in Holly's genotype for the whisker type gene. Then, decide whether these alleles are dominant or recessive.
The allele for curved whiskers (h) is recessive to the allele for straight whiskers (H). This means H is a dominant allele, and h is a recessive allele.
Holly's genotype of Hh has one dominant allele and one recessive allele. An organism with at least one dominant allele for a gene will have the dominant allele's version of the trait. So, Holly's phenotype for the whisker type trait must be straight whiskers. |
Select the solid. | [
"rain",
"water in a fishbowl",
"hammer"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | States of matter | Identify solids and liquids | Solid and liquid are states of matter. Matter is anything that takes up space. Matter can come in different states, or forms.
When matter is a solid, it has a shape of its own.
Some solids can be bent or broken easily. Others are hard to bend or break.
A glass cup is a solid. A sock is also a solid.
When matter is a liquid, it takes the shape of its container.
Think about pouring a liquid from a cup into a bottle. The shape of the liquid is different in the cup than in the bottle. But the liquid still takes up the same amount of space.
Juice is a liquid. Honey is also a liquid. | ||
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Hunter remarked that the new book on anti-gravity was impossible to put down. | [
"alliteration",
"pun"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: review | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses a pun, a word or phrase that humorously suggests more than one meaning.
Impossible to put down means that the book is so good that it is hard to stop reading. The phrase impossible to put down is also a joke about anti-gravity: if gravity pulls things down, perhaps anti-gravity does the opposite and makes them impossible to put down. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Aaron acquired this trait? | [
"Aaron is most interested in plant biology.",
"Aaron learned biology by doing experiments."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Aaron knows a lot about biology. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
How long is a guitar? | [
"1 centimeter",
"1 meter",
"1 kilometer",
"1 millimeter"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using metric units, length can be written with units of millimeters, centimeters, meters, or kilometers. One meter contains 100 centimeters or 1,000 millimeters. So, 1 meter is larger than 1 centimeter, and 1 centimeter is larger than 1 millimeter.
The tip of the pencil shown here is only 1 millimeter wide, but the pencil is about 16 centimeters long.
A red fox is about 1 meter long. The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is about 1,000 meters, or 1 kilometer, in length. | The best estimate for the length of a guitar is 1 meter.
1 millimeter and 1 centimeter are too short. 1 kilometer is too long. |
Select the living thing. | [
"teddy bear",
"amoebae",
"van",
"kite"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify living and nonliving things | All living things are made up of cells. Plants, animals, and some fungi have many cells. Other living things are made up of just one cell.
All living things need food and water. Water helps living things break down food and remove waste. Food gives living things energy. They use energy from food to grow and change.
All living things sense changes in their environment. Living things might sense changes by seeing, smelling, hearing, or feeling. Living things can respond to the changes they sense. | A teddy bear is not a living thing.
Teddy bears do not have all of the traits of living things. They do not grow or respond to their environment. They do not need food or water.
A kite is not a living thing.
A kite does not have all the traits of a living thing. It moves fast in the wind, but it does not grow. It does not need food or water.
A van is not a living thing.
A van does not have all the traits of a living thing. Vans need energy, but they do not eat food. They get energy from gasoline or electricity. Vans do not grow.
Amoebae are living things.
Amoebae grow and respond to their environment. They need food and water.
Amoebae are made up of just one cell. Amoebae live in fresh water, in salt water, and in the soil. |
|
Which organ controls the function of other body organs? | [
"skeleton",
"lungs",
"heart",
"brain"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Animals | Human organs and their functions | |||
Which object has more thermal energy? | [
"a cherry pie at a temperature of 90°F",
"a cherry pie at a temperature of 85°F"
] | 0 | The objects are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Heat and thermal energy | How is temperature related to thermal energy? | All solids, liquids, and gases are made of matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles that are always moving. The energy from the motion of these particles is called thermal energy.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the particles in matter move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher temperature. | The two cherry pies have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 90°F pie is hotter than the 85°F pie, it has more thermal energy. |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Bobby has a scar on his left leg. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | Hint: Most scars are caused by accidents during a person's life. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | Children do not inherit their parent's scars. Instead, scars are caused by the environment. People can get scars after they get hurt. So, having a scar is an acquired trait. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
file - four | [
"flea",
"fatigue"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since flea is between the guide words file - four, it would be found on that page. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Jeremiah investigate with an experiment? | [
"Is the pet lizard more active when its tank is heated with one heating lamp or with two heating lamps?",
"Is the pet lizard more active when it is fed insects or lettuce?",
"Is the pet lizard more active when it is fed crickets or mealworms?"
] | 2 | Jeremiah has a pet lizard. Jeremiah notices that on some days, the lizard is active and runs around the tank. On other days, the lizard hardly moves at all. Jeremiah wonders what factors affect how active his lizard is. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
one pet lizard
live crickets
live mealworms
one heating lamp | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Based on this information, what is Bambi's genotype for the coat color gene? | [
"a black coat",
"LL"
] | 1 | In a group of cows, some individuals have a black coat and others have a red coat. In this group, the gene for the coat color trait has two alleles. The allele L is for a black coat, and the allele l is for a red coat.
Bambi, a cow from this group, has a black coat. Bambi has two alleles for a black coat. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: genotype and phenotype | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait. | An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. Bambi has two alleles for a black coat (L). So, Bambi's genotype for the coat color gene is LL. |
Would you find the word oasis on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
orange - ought | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade2 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since oasis is not between the guide words orange - ought, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Which word does not rhyme? | [
"bike",
"hike",
"fine"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | phonological-awareness | Rhyming | Which word does not rhyme? | Rhyming words are words that end with the same sound.
The words tip and slip rhyme. They both end with the same sound.
The words meet and treat also rhyme. They both end with the same sound, even though the sound has two different spellings.
The words tip and meet don't rhyme. They end with different sounds. | The words hike and bike rhyme. They both end with the ike sound.
The word fine does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"Last night we heard an owl outside in the oak tree.",
"I ate all of my dinner, so I can have some pie."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple or compound? | A simple sentence is a sentence with only one subject and predicate.
The pitcher threw the ball to first base.
A compound sentence is two simple sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
The pitcher threw the ball, and the batter hit it.
Some simple sentences have a compound subject or a compound predicate, but they are not compound sentences.
Anna and James will watch the fireworks tonight.
This simple sentence has a compound subject, Anna and James.
The singers bowed and walked off the stage.
This simple sentence has a compound predicate, bowed and walked off the stage.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but they are not compound sentences. The introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Farmer Ben wears his heavy coat.
This is a simple sentence. There is one subject, Farmer Ben, and one predicate, wears his heavy coat in the winter. | The first sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two simple sentences joined by a comma and the conjunction so.
I ate all of my dinner, so I can have some pie. |
|
Is this a run-on sentence?
If you have a hankering for a delicious bowl of soup, you should try Mr. Montoya's smoked French onion soup made with Vidalia onions, smoked Gruyère cheese, and fresh thyme. | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Identify run-on sentences | A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
A run-on sentence is formed when two sentences are run together, joined by just a comma or by no punctuation at all. If only a comma is used, the run-on is called a comma splice.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily, we have a concert in two weeks.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily we have a concert in two weeks.
There are several ways to fix a run-on sentence:
Use stronger punctuation, such as a period or a semicolon.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily. We have a concert in two weeks.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily; we have a concert in two weeks.
Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction to create a compound sentence. Coordinating conjunctions include and, but, or, and so.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily, and we have a concert in two weeks.
Use a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun to create a complex sentence. Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, and while. Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, and whose.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily since we have a concert in two weeks. | This is not a run-on sentence. It is not formed from two sentences that have been run together without appropriate punctuation.
If you have a hankering for a delicious bowl of soup, you should try Mr. Montoya's smoked French onion soup made with Vidalia onions, smoked Gruyère cheese, and fresh thyme. |
|
Last year, there were seven men's clothing stores on Main Street in Springtown. This year, there are only three. What probably happened to the overall supply of men's shirts in Springtown? | [
"The supply probably went up.",
"The supply probably went down."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | When four men's clothing stores closed on Main Street, the number of suppliers went down. There were fewer stores selling men's shirts. So, the supply of men's shirts probably went down. |
|
Would you find the word forgot on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
false - fro | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade7 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since forgot is between the guide words false - fro, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"The prettiest parts of the Rocky Mountains are in the state of Wyoming.",
"In the United States, the Rocky Mountains stretch from New Mexico to Montana."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Opinion writing | Distinguish facts from opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true.
The month of July has more days than the month of June.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at a calendar and counting the number of days in each month.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
July is a better month than June for camping.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about which month is "better" for camping. | The second sentence states a fact.
In the United States, the Rocky Mountains stretch from New Mexico to Montana.
It can be proved by checking a map of the United States.
The first sentence states an opinion.
The prettiest parts of the Rocky Mountains are in the state of Wyoming.
Prettiest shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about where the prettiest parts of the Rocky Mountains are. |
|
How long is a walk across Central Park in New York City? | [
"3 centimeters",
"3 millimeters",
"3 kilometers",
"3 meters"
] | 2 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using metric units, length can be written with units of millimeters, centimeters, meters, or kilometers. One meter contains 100 centimeters or 1,000 millimeters. So, 1 meter is larger than 1 centimeter, and 1 centimeter is larger than 1 millimeter.
The tip of the pencil shown here is only 1 millimeter wide, but the pencil is about 16 centimeters long.
A red fox is about 1 meter long. The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is about 1,000 meters, or 1 kilometer, in length. | The best estimate for the length of a walk across Central Park in New York City is 3 kilometers.
3 millimeters, 3 centimeters, and 3 meters are all too short. |
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
There was rain and sleet in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, last weekend. | [
"weather",
"climate"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | earth-science | Weather and climate | What's the difference between weather and climate? | The atmosphere is the layer of air that surrounds Earth. Both weather and climate tell you about the atmosphere.
Weather is what the atmosphere is like at a certain place and time. Weather can change quickly. For example, the temperature outside your house might get higher throughout the day.
Climate is the pattern of weather in a certain place. For example, summer temperatures in New York are usually higher than winter temperatures. | Read the text carefully.
There was rain and sleet in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, last weekend.
This passage tells you about the precipitation in Sioux Falls last weekend. It describes the atmosphere at a certain place and time. So, this passage describes the weather. |
|
Select the temperature shown by this thermometer. | [
"45°F",
"30°F",
"80°F"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Weather and climate | Read a thermometer | A thermometer is a tool that measures temperature. Temperature can be measured in degrees. The symbol for degrees is °.
Some thermometers measure temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F). Fahrenheit is one scale used to measure temperature.
This is a tube thermometer. It has a tube filled with a red liquid.
There is a Fahrenheit scale along the right side of the tube. The top of the red liquid lines up with the number 80 on the scale. So, the temperature shown by this thermometer is 80°F. | Find the top of the red liquid.
Now look at the scale to the right. The top of the red liquid is halfway between 40 and 50. So, the temperature is 45°F. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"Mr. Smith peeled the tangerine and divided it into sections.",
"Before the performance, Maura tied a satin sash around her waist, and Kimberly braided her hair."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The first sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction and.
Before the performance, Maura tied a satin sash around her waist, and Kimberly braided her hair. |
|
Based on this information, what is Squirt's phenotype for the tail spots trait? | [
"a spotted tail",
"an unspotted tail"
] | 0 | In a group of guppies, some individuals have a spotted tail and others have an unspotted tail. In this group, the gene for the tail spots trait has two alleles. The allele for a spotted tail (I) is dominant over the allele for an unspotted tail (i).
Squirt is a guppy from this group. Squirt has the heterozygous genotype Ii for the tail spots gene. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | You need to determine Squirt's phenotype for the tail spots trait. First, consider the alleles in Squirt's genotype for the tail spots gene. Then, decide whether these alleles are dominant or recessive.
The allele for a spotted tail (I) is dominant over the allele for an unspotted tail (i). This means I is a dominant allele, and i is a recessive allele.
Squirt's genotype of Ii has one dominant allele and one recessive allele. An organism with at least one dominant allele for a gene will have the dominant allele's version of the trait. So, Squirt's phenotype for the tail spots trait must be a spotted tail. |
Select the reptile. | [
"eagle ray",
"dwarf crocodile",
"California newt",
"harbor seal"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Reptiles have scaly, waterproof skin. Most reptiles live on land. | An eagle ray is a fish. It lives underwater. It has fins, not limbs.
Rays have a different shape than many other fish. Rays are large and flat. They have wide, triangle-shaped fins that help them swim long distances.
A harbor seal is a mammal. It has fur and feeds its young milk.
Seals have flippers instead of arms! They use their flippers to swim underwater or to crawl on the beach.
A dwarf crocodile is a reptile. It has scaly, waterproof skin.
Crocodiles hunt their prey in or near water.
A California newt is an amphibian. It has moist skin and begins its life in water.
Some newts live in water. Other newts live on land but lay their eggs in water. |
|
Would you find the word miracle on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
mean - mumps | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 1 | yes or no | grade8 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since miracle is between the guide words mean - mumps, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear ms. Allen,",
"Dear Ms. Allen,"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The first greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Ms. Allen is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Stefan investigate with an experiment? | [
"Does vegetable oil separate faster when stirred together with vinegar or with water?",
"Does vegetable oil separate faster when stirred together with cold water or with hot water?",
"Does vinegar separate faster when stirred together with olive oil or with coconut oil?"
] | 0 | Stefan mixes oil and vinegar to make salad dressing. He notices that after a few minutes, the oil and vinegar separate. He wonders what factors affect how quickly liquids separate. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
three glass bottles
olive oil
vegetable oil
vinegar
cold water | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Which is a simple sentence? | [
"In the early morning, I drank tea by a spice stall as the Turkish bazaar came to life.",
"The gutters were full of leaves and in need of cleaning."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The first sentence is the simple sentence. It is a single independent clause.
The gutters were full of leaves and in need of cleaning. |
|
Assume all other forces on Tamir are balanced. Which statement describes the forces on Tamir? | [
"The forces are balanced, so there is no net force on Tamir.",
"The forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on Tamir."
] | 0 | Tamir is standing on a diving board at the pool. Earth's gravity is pulling down on Tamir with a force of 400N. The diving board is pushing up on Tamir with a force of 400N. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | physics | Velocity, acceleration, and forces | Balanced and unbalanced forces | A force is a push or a pull that acts on an object. Every force has a direction and a magnitude, or strength. If two forces act on an object in opposite directions, the forces are called opposing forces.
When opposing forces have the same magnitude, they are balanced. If all the forces on an object are balanced, there is no net force on the object.
When opposing forces have different magnitudes, the forces are unbalanced. If any forces on an object are unbalanced, there is a net force on the object. | To determine if there is a net force on Tamir, look at the forces:
Earth's gravity is pulling Tamir down with a force of 400 N.
The diving board is pushing Tamir up with a force of 400 N.
The forces are in opposite directions, and the forces have the same magnitude: 400 N. This means that the forces are balanced, so there is no net force on Tamir. |
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"The giant anteater uses its sticky tongue to grab insects.",
"The eating habits of the giant anteater are disgusting."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Distinguish facts from opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true.
The month of July has more days than the month of June.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at a calendar and counting the number of days in each month.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
July is a better month than June for camping.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about which month is "better" for camping. | The first sentence states a fact.
The giant anteater uses its sticky tongue to grab insects.
It can be proved by looking up information about anteaters.
The second sentence states an opinion.
The eating habits of the giant anteater are disgusting.
Disgusting shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about what is disgusting. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Rebecca's Bistro used to be a great place to go for a delicious and carefully prepared dinner, but nobody goes there anymore: it's too crowded. | [
"apostrophe",
"paradox"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: review | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of several phrases or clauses.
We are united. We are powerful. We are winners.
Antithesis involves contrasting opposing ideas within a parallel grammatical structure.
I want to help, not to hurt.
Apostrophe is a direct address to an absent person or a nonhuman entity.
Oh, little bird, what makes you sing so beautifully?
Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound in a series of nearby words.
Try to light the fire.
Chiasmus is an expression in which the second half parallels the first but reverses the order of words.
Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected.
Understatement involves deliberately representing something as less serious or important than it really is.
As you know, it can get a little cold in the Antarctic. | The text uses a paradox, a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Nobody goes there anymore: it's too crowded at first appears to be contradictory, because if no one goes to the restaurant, then the restaurant should be empty, not crowded. However, it contains some truth: if a restaurant is frequently perceived to be too crowded, many people will no longer want to go there. |
|
Complete the sentence.
In this chemical reaction, glucose is a (). | [
"reactant",
"product"
] | 1 | This passage describes a chemical reaction. Read the passage. Then, follow the instructions below.
Plants make glucose, a sugar they can use for food, through a process called photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants use energy from sunlight to make glucose from water and carbon dioxide. In the process of making glucose, plants also create most of the oxygen in the air we breathe. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Identify reactants and products | A chemical change occurs when new substances are formed from existing substances. This process is called a chemical reaction.
In a chemical reaction, one or more substances change into one or more different substances. During the reaction, the atoms of the original substances are rearranged to form other substances.
The original substances in a chemical reaction are called reactants. These substances react, or go through a chemical change.
The substances that are formed in a chemical reaction are called products. These substances are produced by the chemical reaction.
So, in a chemical reaction, reactants go through a chemical change to form products. | Read the underlined text carefully. Look for information about what happens to glucose in this chemical reaction.
Plants make glucose, a sugar they can use for food, through a process called photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants use energy from sunlight to make glucose from water and carbon dioxide. In the process of making glucose, plants also create most of the oxygen in the air we breathe.
The underlined text tells you that glucose forms when water combines with carbon dioxide. Because glucose is produced by this chemical reaction, glucose is a product. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
After spending weeks in New York City, Florence was a bit unnerved by the deafening silence of her small hometown. | [
"oxymoron",
"euphemism"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses an oxymoron, a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Deafening silence is a contradiction, because deafening describes something extremely loud, and silence is the absence of sound. |
|
Complete the statement. Assume that the sled's mass did not change.
The gravitational potential energy stored between the sled and Earth () as Michelle rode down the hill. | [
"stayed the same",
"decreased",
"increased"
] | 1 | Read the text about an object in motion.
On a snowy day, Michelle rode her sled down a big hill. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | physics | Kinetic and potential energy | Identify changes in gravitational potential energy | Gravitational potential energy is stored between any two objects. So, for every object on or near Earth, there is gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth.
The amount of gravitational potential energy stored between an object and Earth depends on the mass of the object. The amount of gravitational potential energy also depends on the distance between the object and the center of Earth. This distance increases when the object moves higher and decreases when the object moves lower.
If the distance between an object and the center of Earth changes, the gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth will change. The table below shows how this change can happen.
When an object's mass stays the same and its distance from the center of Earth... | Gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth...
increases | increases
decreases | decreases
stays the same | stays the same | Think about how the distance between the sled and the center of Earth changed.
The bottom of the hill was lower than the point where Michelle started sledding. As Michelle rode toward the bottom of the hill, the distance between the sled and the center of Earth decreased. So, the gravitational potential energy stored between the sled and Earth decreased as Michelle rode down the hill. |
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"your friend,\nCarla",
"Your friend,\nCarla"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | capitalization | Capitalization | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Based on this information, what is Zazu's phenotype for the cheek color trait? | [
"pale orange cheeks",
"bright orange cheeks"
] | 1 | In a group of cockatiels, some individuals have bright orange cheeks and others have pale orange cheeks. In this group, the gene for the cheek color trait has two alleles. The allele for pale orange cheeks (r) is recessive to the allele for bright orange cheeks (R).
Zazu is a cockatiel from this group. Zazu has the homozygous genotype RR for the cheek color gene. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Zazu's genotype for the cheek color gene is RR. Zazu's genotype of RR has only R allelles. The R allele is for bright orange cheeks. So, Zazu's phenotype for the cheek color trait must be bright orange cheeks.
To check this answer, consider whether Zazu's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for pale orange cheeks (r) is recessive to the allele for bright orange cheeks (R). This means R is a dominant allele, and r is a recessive allele.
Zazu's genotype of RR has two dominant alleles. An organism with at least one dominant allele for a gene will have the dominant allele's version of the trait. So, Zazu's phenotype for the cheek color trait must be bright orange cheeks. |
Select the vertebrate. | [
"redback spider",
"common octopus",
"birdwing butterfly",
"asp viper"
] | 3 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are vertebrates. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify vertebrates and invertebrates | Vertebrates and invertebrates are both groups of animals.
A vertebrate has a backbone. The backbone is made of many bones in an animal's back. A vertebrate's backbone helps connect the different parts of its body. In the drawings below, each vertebrate's backbone is colored orange.
An invertebrate does not have a backbone. In fact, invertebrates do not have any bones! Some invertebrates have an outer cover on their body called an exoskeleton. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | Like other octopuses, a common octopus is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a soft body.
Like other spiders, a redback spider is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A birdwing butterfly is an insect. Like other insects, a birdwing butterfly is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
An asp viper is a reptile. Like other reptiles, an asp viper is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. |
Which tense does the sentence use?
Mr. Norman signed his name on the letter. | [
"past tense",
"present tense",
"future tense"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in past tense. You can tell because it uses a past-tense verb, signed. The verb ends in -ed and tells you about something that has already happened. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
a banana getting ripe on the counter
newly poured concrete becoming hard | [
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
A banana getting ripe on the counter is a chemical change. As a banana ripens, the type of matter in it changes. The peel changes color and the inside becomes softer and sweeter.
Concrete hardening is a chemical change. The chemicals in the concrete react with each other to form a different type of matter. The new matter is hard and strong.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which text uses the word literally in its traditional sense? | [
"Cara adores the classic Renaissance style of the Rialto Bridge in Venice. She was surprised to learn that the bridge remains functional even though it is literally a million years old.",
"Cara adores the classic Renaissance style of the Rialto Bridge in Venice. She was surprised to learn that the bridge remains functional even though it is literally hundreds of years old."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The second text uses literally in its traditional sense: in a factual, non-exaggerated way.
Cara adores the classic Renaissance style of the Rialto Bridge in Venice. She was surprised to learn that the bridge remains functional even though it is literally hundreds of years old.
The first text uses literally in its nontraditional sense: nearly or in effect (often exaggerated). The bridge is old, but it is not actually a million years old.
Cara adores the classic Renaissance style of the Rialto Bridge in Venice. She was surprised to learn that the bridge remains functional even though it is literally a million years old.
Most style guides recommend to avoid using the nontraditional sense of the word literally because it is generally considered incorrect. |
|
Compare the motion of two fish. Which fish was moving at a higher speed? | [
"a fish that moved 50kilometers in 10hours",
"a fish that moved 85kilometers in 10hours"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the kilometer.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about two objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving faster will go a farther distance in that time. It is moving at a higher speed. | Look at the distance each fish moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One fish moved 85 kilometers in 10 hours.
The other fish moved 50 kilometers in 10 hours.
Notice that each fish spent the same amount of time moving. The fish that moved 85 kilometers moved a farther distance in that time. So, that fish must have moved at a higher speed. |
|
Which sentence is more formal? | [
"People who did not grow up playing or watching cricket often find it difficult to understand the rules of the sport.",
"People who didn't grow up playing or watching cricket often can't understand the rules of the sport."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Author's purpose and tone | Which sentence is more formal? | Formal writing is used for essays, business letters, and reports. The following types of informal language should be avoided in formal writing:
Type | Examples
slang | cool, awesome
idioms | knock your socks off
conversational language | gonna, kinda, yeah
abbreviated language | ASAP, FYI
overly simple or imprecise language | he got some stuff at the store
contractions | can't, won't
Contractions are not as informal as the other types, but they should be used sparingly in formal writing.
Compare the following sentences. The first is informal. The second is formal.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but they're awesome runners.
Formal: Though ostriches are flightless, they are remarkably adept runners.
| The first sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses contractions (don't, can't).
The second sentence does not use contractions, so it is more formal. |
|
Would you find the word pig on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
pardon - polish | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 1 | yes or no | grade8 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since pig is between the guide words pardon - polish, it would be found on that page. |
|
What does the verbal irony in this text suggest?
"This is the best day of my life," Mr. Hogan mumbled after his car broke down on the way to an important job interview. | [
"Mr. Hogan was having a bad day.",
"Mr. Hogan liked fixing cars."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
The best day of my life ironically suggests that Mr. Hogan was having a bad day. He was having the opposite of a good day because his car broke down when he needed to be on time. |
|
Which is a complete sentence? | [
"In summer, insects always fly around the pond.",
"A bag of beans."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on? | A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. It has both a subject and a verb.
My friends walk along the path.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It is usually missing a subject or a verb.
Knows the answer.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a subject.
Who knows the answer? She knows the answer.
The bright red car.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a verb.
What did the bright red car do? The bright red car stopped.
A run-on sentence is made up of two sentences that are joined without end punctuation or with just a comma.
I knocked on the door it opened.
It started raining, we ran inside.
To fix a run-on sentence, separate it into two sentences. Add end punctuation after the first sentence, and capitalize the second sentence.
I knocked on the door. It opened.
It started raining. We ran inside.
You can also fix a run-on sentence by rewriting it as a compound sentence. A compound sentence is two sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
I knocked on the door, and it opened.
It started raining, so we ran inside. | In summer, insects always fly around the pond is a complete sentence. The subject is insects, and the verb is fly. |
|
Which metal paper clip has less thermal energy? | [
"the colder metal paper clip",
"the hotter metal paper clip"
] | 0 | Two metal paper clips are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Thermal energy | How are temperature and mass related to thermal energy? | Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are always moving.
The energy of moving atoms is called thermal energy. The total amount of thermal energy in matter depends on three things: the type of matter, the amount of matter, and how fast the atoms are moving.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the atoms in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature.
What happens if the amount of matter changes? A 2-kilogram brick at 70°F has twice as much thermal energy as a 1-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the larger brick has twice as many atoms. So, it has twice as much thermal energy. | The two metal paper clips are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the colder metal paper clip has less thermal energy. |
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
"You might think you'll always be young," Mrs. Hensley counseled, "but time ()". | [
"creeps up on you",
"affects everyone"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | writing-strategies | Creative techniques | Use personification | Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things. It is a figure of speech that can be used to make writing more interesting or to emphasize a point.
The trees danced in the wind.
The word danced describes the trees as if they were people. Unlike people, however, trees can't actually dance. Instead, the personification suggests that the trees are moving. | Complete the sentence with the phrase creeps up on you. It describes time as if it were a sneaky person. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
Scientists will measure the rainfall in Greenville. | [
"present tense",
"past tense",
"future tense"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, measure. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
Reba chops onions for the tomato sauce. | [
"future tense",
"past tense",
"present tense"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in present tense. You can tell because it uses a present-tense verb, chops. The verb ends in -s and tells you about something that is true or happening now. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
a slice of banana turning brown
grilling a hamburger | [
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
A slice of banana turning brown is a chemical change. The part of the banana in contact with the air reacts with oxygen and turns into a different type of matter.
Grilling a hamburger is a chemical change. Heat from the grill causes the matter in the meat to change. Cooked meat and raw meat are different types of matter.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Cooking a hamburger is caused by heating. But a slice of banana turning brown is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
What is the volume of a bowl of soup? | [
"11 cups",
"11 gallons",
"11 fluid ounces"
] | 2 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using customary units, volume may be written in units of fluid ounces, cups, or gallons.
As the diagram shows, there are 8 fluid ounces in 1 cup and 16 cups in 1 gallon. So, 1 fluid ounce is less than 1 cup and much less than 1 gallon.
A glass of milk has a volume of about 8 fluid ounces, or 1 cup. A jug of milk has a volume of 1 gallon. | The best estimate for the volume of a bowl of soup is 11 fluid ounces.
11 cups and 11 gallons are both too much. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
"This mattress is as soft as concrete," Tyler complained as he tested the bed in his hotel room. | [
"verbal irony",
"personification"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
As soft as concrete shows verbal irony because concrete is not soft. |
|
Ken starts to pull the wagon across the yard. To move the wagon at the same speed each time, which friend does Ken need to pull with a larger force? | [
"a friend who weighs 32 pounds",
"a friend who weighs 25 pounds"
] | 0 | Ken gives two friends a ride in his wagon. One friend sits in the wagon at a time. | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | How do mass and force affect motion? | A force is a push or a pull.
A force can make an object start moving or stop an object that is moving. A force can also make an object speed up, slow down, or change direction.
Forces can be different sizes.
Think about trying to move a heavy object and a light object. Imagine you want to move them at the same speed. You will need to use a larger force to move the heavy object. | Look for the friend who is heavier.
A friend who weighs 32 pounds is heavier than a friend who weighs 25 pounds. So, to move the wagon at the same speed each time, Ken needs to use a larger force to start moving the wagon with a friend who weighs 32 pounds. |
Is a travel bag a good or a service? | [
"a good",
"a service"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | social science | economics | Economics | Goods and services | Everything you can buy is either a good or a service.
A good is something you can touch or hold in your hands. For example, a hammer is a good.
A service is a job you pay someone else to do. For example, cooking food in a restaurant is a service. | To decide whether a travel bag is a good or a service, ask these questions:
Is a travel bag something you can touch? Yes.
Is a travel bag a job you might pay someone else to do? No.
So, a travel bag is a good. |
|
What does the idiom in this text suggest?
"Speak of the devil!" Whitney declared when Charlie strolled into the room. | [
"Whitney had just been speaking about Charlie.",
"Whitney didn't trust Charlie."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake. | The text uses an idiom, an expression that cannot be understood literally.
The idiom speak of the devil suggests that Whitney had just been speaking about Charlie. People say this when the person they've just been speaking about coincidentally arrives, as if summoned. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
"There's nothing I love more than skipping lunch," Mr. Crawford told the flight attendant when he learned that no food would be available on his cross-country flight. | [
"allusion",
"verbal irony"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
Nothing I love more shows verbal irony because Mr. Crawford is probably upset that there isn't anything to eat. |
|
Last year, 50,000 people lived in the city of Belmont. But since then, 8,000 people have moved away. What probably happened to the overall supply of houses for sale in Belmont? | [
"The supply probably went up.",
"The supply probably went down."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | The population of Belmont fell by 8,000 people. Many of the people who have left are probably trying to sell their houses. Since more people are trying to sell their houses, the number of suppliers of houses for sale in Belmont has gone up. So, the supply of houses for sale probably went up, too. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Elijah plays hockey. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | Hint: Playing hockey takes practice. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | People are not born knowing how to play hockey. Instead, some people learn how to play hockey. Playing the sport takes practice. So, playing hockey is an acquired trait. |
Complete the sentence.
In this chemical reaction, carbon dioxide is a (). | [
"product",
"reactant"
] | 1 | This passage describes a chemical reaction. Read the passage. Then, follow the instructions below.
Plants make glucose, a sugar they can use for food, through a process called photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants use energy from sunlight to make glucose from water and carbon dioxide. In the process of making glucose, plants also create most of the oxygen in the air we breathe. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Identify reactants and products | A chemical change occurs when new substances are formed from existing substances. This process is called a chemical reaction.
In a chemical reaction, one or more substances change into one or more different substances. During the reaction, the atoms of the original substances are rearranged to form other substances.
The original substances in a chemical reaction are called reactants. These substances react, or go through a chemical change.
The substances that are formed in a chemical reaction are called products. These substances are produced by the chemical reaction.
So, in a chemical reaction, reactants go through a chemical change to form products. | Read the underlined text carefully. Look for information about what happens to carbon dioxide in this chemical reaction.
Plants make glucose, a sugar they can use for food, through a process called photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants use energy from sunlight to make glucose from water and carbon dioxide. In the process of making glucose, plants also create most of the oxygen in the air we breathe.
The underlined text tells you that when water and carbon dioxide combine, glucose and oxygen are formed. When water and carbon dioxide react, or go through a chemical change, their atoms are rearranged to form glucose and oxygen. Because carbon dioxide reacts in this chemical reaction, carbon dioxide is a reactant. |
Which is a simple sentence? | [
"In the early morning, I drank tea by a spice stall as the Turkish bazaar came to life.",
"Mr. Duran's afternoon lecture was about art and culture in Germany before World War II."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The first sentence is the simple sentence. It is a single independent clause.
Mr. Duran's afternoon lecture was about art and culture in Germany before World War II. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Becky can fly an airplane. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 0 | Hint: Pilots have to learn how to fly an airplane. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | People are not born knowing how to fly an airplane. Instead, some people learn how to fly airplanes. So, flying an airplane is an acquired trait. |
Which is a simple sentence? | [
"The audition for the part of Dracula will begin in just a few minutes.",
"My assistant will distribute the report to everyone at the meeting while I make the introductions."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The first sentence is the simple sentence. It is a single independent clause.
The audition for the part of Dracula will begin in just a few minutes. |
|
How long is a sandbox? | [
"2 centimeters",
"2 meters"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of distance | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that a pencil is 16 long. You might be thinking, 16 what? Is the pencil 16 centimeters long? 16 meters? 16 kilometers?
The number 16 on its own does not give you much information about the length of the pencil. That is because the units are missing.
Now look at the drawing of the pencil and the ruler. The ruler shows that the units are centimeters. So, the length of the pencil is 16 centimeters.
There are 100 centimeters in 1 meter. So, 1 centimeter is much shorter than 1 meter.
There are 1,000 meters in 1 kilometer. So, 1 meter is much shorter than 1 kilometer. | The better estimate for the length of a sandbox is 2 meters.
2 centimeters is too short. |
Would you find the word scoop on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
seam - sheriff | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 1 | yes or no | grade7 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since scoop is not between the guide words seam - sheriff, it would not be found on that page. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Ryan acquired this trait? | [
"Ryan learned how to build a fire at summer camp.",
"Ryan can cook food over a fire."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Ryan knows how to build a fire. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Which correctly shows the title of a book? | [
"\"Harold and the Purple Crayon\"",
"***Harold and the Purple Crayon***"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Formatting titles | The title of a book, movie, play, TV show, magazine, or newspaper should be in italics. If you write it by hand, it can be underlined instead.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The title of a poem, song, or article should be in quotation marks.
"You Are My Sunshine" | A book should be in italics.
The correct title is **Harold and the Purple Crayon**. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
patient - private | [
"pit",
"public"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since pit is between the guide words patient - private, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a book? | [
"\"Bugs in My Hair\"",
"***Bugs in My Hair***"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Formatting titles | The title of a book, movie, play, TV show, magazine, or newspaper should be in italics. If you write it by hand, it can be underlined instead.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The title of a poem, song, article, or short story should be in quotation marks.
"You Are My Sunshine" | A book should be in italics.
The correct title is **Bugs in My Hair**. |
|
What is the mass of an elephant? | [
"4,295 grams",
"4,295 kilograms"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of mass | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Mass is a measurement of how much matter something contains.
There are many different units of mass. When you are using metric units, mass may be written with units of grams or kilograms.
There are 1,000 grams in 1 kilogram. So, 1 gram is much less than 1 kilogram.
A paper clip has a mass of about 1 gram, while a textbook has a mass of about 1 kilogram. | The better estimate for the mass of an elephant is 4,295 kilograms.
4,295 grams is too light. |
Which is smoother? | [
"concrete sidewalk",
"silk necktie"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. | Smooth is a property. A smooth material is not rough or bumpy.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine touching the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the silk necktie is smoother. If you touch silk fabric, it will not feel rough. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
Scientists will measure the rainfall in Lancaster. | [
"past tense",
"future tense",
"present tense"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, measure. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Use the evidence in the text to select the photosynthetic organism. | [
"Mossy frogs get the energy they need to live by eating insects. The frogs capture insects with their tongues.",
"Sphagnum mosses get the energy they need to live from sugars. The mosses make these sugars from carbon dioxide and water."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Photosynthesis | Identify the photosynthetic organism | Organisms that carry out photosynthesis are called photosynthetic organisms. During photosynthesis, these organisms use light energy, carbon dioxide, and water to produce sugars and oxygen.
Photosynthetic organisms also often have the following characteristics:
They are producers, which are organisms that make their own food inside their cells. Because producers make their own food, they typically do not eat other organisms.
Their cells contain chloroplasts, which are cell structures where photosynthesis occurs.
Their chloroplasts often contain a green substance called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll captures light energy from the Sun to power photosynthesis.
They use the sugars they produce during photosynthesis as food. This food provides energy that helps the organisms live, grow, and reproduce. | This organism is photosynthetic:
The text tells you that Sphagnum mosses get energy from the sugars they make using carbon dioxide and water. This is evidence that the Sphagnum moss is a photosynthetic organism.
This organism is not photosynthetic:
The text does not provide evidence that the mossy frog is photosynthetic. |
|
How long is a pen? | [
"20 kilometers",
"20 centimeters"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of distance | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that a pencil is 16 long. You might be thinking, 16 what? Is the pencil 16 centimeters long? 16 meters? 16 kilometers?
The number 16 on its own does not give you much information about the length of the pencil. That is because the units are missing.
Now look at the drawing of the pencil and the ruler. The ruler shows that the units are centimeters. So, the length of the pencil is 16 centimeters.
There are 100 centimeters in 1 meter. So, 1 centimeter is much shorter than 1 meter.
There are 1,000 meters in 1 kilometer. So, 1 meter is much shorter than 1 kilometer. | The better estimate for the length of a pen is 20 centimeters.
20 kilometers is too long. |
What kind of sentence is this?
I write for the school newspaper. | [
"interrogative",
"declarative"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement. It tells about something. A declarative sentence always ends with a period.
I have an older brother and a younger sister.
An interrogative sentence is a question. It asks something. An interrogative sentence always ends with a question mark.
How tall are you?
An imperative sentence is a command. It makes a request or tells someone to do something. An imperative sentence usually ends with a period. If the command shows strong feeling, it ends with an exclamation point.
Read the first chapter by next week.
Look out for that car!
An exclamatory sentence is like a statement, but it shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.
Some whales are over ninety feet long!
I can't wait until tomorrow! | The sentence tells about something, and it ends with a period. It is a declarative sentence. |
|
What is the volume of a paper drinking cup? | [
"185 liters",
"185 milliliters"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using metric units, volume may be written in units of milliliters or liters.
There are 1,000 milliliters in 1 liter. So, 1 milliliter is much less than 1 liter.
A raindrop has a volume of about 20 milliliters, while a large soda bottle has a volume of 2 liters. The flask shown here measures volumes up to 500 milliliters. | The better estimate for the volume of a paper drinking cup is 185 milliliters.
185 liters is too much. |
What information supports the conclusion that Harry inherited this trait? | [
"Harry's biological mother has long hair. Harry also has long hair.",
"Harry's biological parents have wavy hair.",
"Harry uses a headband to keep his wavy hair out of his face."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Harry has wavy hair. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Which drop of dish soap has a lower temperature? | [
"the drop of dish soap with more thermal energy",
"the drop of dish soap with less thermal energy"
] | 1 | Two drops of dish soap are identical except for their thermal energies. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Thermal energy | How are temperature and mass related to thermal energy? | Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are always moving.
The energy of moving atoms is called thermal energy. The total amount of thermal energy in matter depends on three things: the type of matter, the amount of matter, and how fast the atoms are moving.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the atoms in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature.
What happens if the amount of matter changes? A 2-kilogram brick at 70°F has twice as much thermal energy as a 1-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the larger brick has twice as many atoms. So, it has twice as much thermal energy. | The two drops of dish soap are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the drop of dish soap with less thermal energy has a lower temperature. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
scribble - spade | [
"sleepy",
"sweat"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since sleepy is between the guide words scribble - spade, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which is a run-on sentence? | [
"The event was exciting it had music, a show and food.",
"Tina will ride her bike this weekend."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on? | A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. It has both a subject and a verb.
My friends walk along the path.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It is usually missing a subject or a verb.
Knows the answer.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a subject.
Who knows the answer? She knows the answer.
The bright red car.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a verb.
What did the bright red car do? The bright red car stopped.
A run-on sentence is made up of two sentences that are joined without end punctuation or with just a comma.
I knocked on the door it opened.
It started raining, we ran inside.
To fix a run-on sentence, separate it into two sentences. Add end punctuation after the first sentence, and capitalize the second sentence.
I knocked on the door. It opened.
It started raining. We ran inside.
You can also fix a run-on sentence by rewriting it as a compound sentence. A compound sentence is two sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
I knocked on the door, and it opened.
It started raining, so we ran inside. | The event was exciting it had music, a show and food is a run-on sentence. It has two sentences that are joined without end punctuation: The event was exciting and It had music, a show and food. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
The moon is a friend for the lonesome to talk with.
—Carl Sandburg, "Moonlight and Maggots" | [
"personification",
"simile"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: review | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses personification, giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The moon is a friend describes the moon as if it were human. |
|
Compare the motion of two motorboats. Which motorboat was moving at a higher speed? | [
"a motorboat that moved 135miles in 10hours",
"a motorboat that moved 240miles in 10hours"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the mile.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about two objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving faster will go a farther distance in that time. It is moving at a higher speed. | Look at the distance each motorboat moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One motorboat moved 240 miles in 10 hours.
The other motorboat moved 135 miles in 10 hours.
Notice that each motorboat spent the same amount of time moving. The motorboat that moved 240 miles moved a farther distance in that time. So, that motorboat must have moved at a higher speed. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
papoose - pliers | [
"pedal",
"purple"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since pedal is between the guide words papoose - pliers, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which sentence is more formal? | [
"Dr. Alexander and her team traveled by horseback to a remote village that had no modern medical services.",
"Dr. Alexander and her team took horses and went to a place that had no modern medical services."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | writing-strategies | Author's purpose and tone | Which sentence is more formal? | Formal writing is used for essays, business letters, and reports. The following types of informal language should be avoided in formal writing:
Type | Examples
slang | cool, awesome
idioms | knock your socks off
conversational language | gonna, kinda, yeah
abbreviated language | ASAP, FYI
overly simple or imprecise language | he got some stuff at the store
contractions | can't, won't
Contractions are not as informal as the other types, but they should be used sparingly in formal writing.
Compare the following sentences. The first is informal. The second is formal.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but they're awesome runners.
Formal: Though ostriches are flightless, they are remarkably adept runners.
| The first sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses overly simple or imprecise language (took, went).
The second sentence uses more precise language, so it is more formal overall. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
When I learned the details of Lillian's Faustian bargain, I was in disbelief. | [
"literature",
"Roman mythology"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion Faustian bargain is literature.
In a play by Christopher Marlowe based on the legend of Faust, a man strikes a deal with the devil. Disregarding the long-term consequences of his actions, he sells his soul in exchange for power.
The allusion Faustian bargain means a compromise of one's values for personal gain. |
|
How long does it take to bake lasagna in the oven? | [
"42 hours",
"42 minutes"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose units of time | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that the bus leaves in 7. You might be thinking, 7 what? Does the bus leave in 7 minutes? 7 seconds?
The number 7 on its own does not give you much information about when the bus is leaving. That is because the units are missing.
Time is usually measured in units of seconds, minutes, or hours. It takes about 1 second to sneeze and 1 minute to get dressed in the morning. It takes about 1 hour to bake a pie in the oven.
There are 60 seconds in 1 minute. So, 1 second is much less than 1 minute.
There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. So, 1 minute is much less than 1 hour. | The better estimate for how long it takes to bake lasagna in the oven is 42 minutes.
42 hours is too slow. |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Most humans can sense many different smells. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | Babies do not need to learn how to smell. They are able to smell naturally. So, the ability to smell is an inherited trait. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a book? | [
"***Island of the Blue Dolphins***",
"\"Island of the Blue Dolphins\""
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Formatting titles | The title of a book, movie, play, TV show, magazine, or newspaper should be in italics. If you write it by hand, it can be underlined instead.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The title of a poem, song, article, or short story should be in quotation marks.
"You Are My Sunshine" | A book should be in italics.
The correct title is **Island of the Blue Dolphins**. |
|
Complete the sentence.
Lighting a match is a (). | [
"physical change",
"chemical change"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Identify physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes.
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. The paper changes into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same.
Cutting a piece of paper is a physical change. The cut pieces are still made of paper.
Ice melting is also a physical change. When ice melts, it changes from a solid to a liquid. But both ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water! This kind of change is called a change of state. | Lighting a match is a chemical change. The match catches fire and turns into ash. Ash is a different type of matter than the match. |
|
Select the vertebrate. | [
"ladybug",
"earthworm",
"mosquito",
"rainbow trout"
] | 3 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are vertebrates. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify vertebrates and invertebrates | Vertebrates and invertebrates are both groups of animals.
A vertebrate has a backbone. The backbone is made of many bones in an animal's back. A vertebrate's backbone helps connect the different parts of its body. In the drawings below, each vertebrate's backbone is colored orange.
An invertebrate does not have a backbone. In fact, invertebrates do not have any bones! Some invertebrates have an outer cover on their body called an exoskeleton. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | A mosquito is an insect. Like other insects, a mosquito is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A ladybug is an insect. Like other insects, a ladybug is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
An earthworm is a worm. Like other worms, an earthworm is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a soft body.
A rainbow trout is a fish. Like other fish, a rainbow trout is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. |
Which announcement is more formal? | [
"The Danville Law Firm is so happy to tell you . . .",
"The Danville Law Firm is pleased to announce . . ."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Audience, purpose, and tone | Which text is most formal? | Informal writing is typically used in casual situations or when communicating with someone you know well. Informal language often expresses familiarity and tends to sound more like speech. It uses more conversational language, such as slang, idioms, abbreviations, imprecise language, and contractions.
Formal writing is typically used in academic and business writing or when writing directly to an authority figure. It tends to be more courteous and impersonal, avoiding overly familiar or conversational language.
Compare the following sentences.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but I think they're awesome.
More formal: Ostriches may be flightless, but they're remarkable runners.
Most formal: Though flightless, ostriches are remarkable runners. | The second announcement is more formal. It uses more elevated language (pleased to announce). The other announcement sounds more conversational (so happy). |
|
Select the amphibian. | [
"great crested newt",
"robin",
"blue-footed booby",
"helmeted iguana"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Amphibians have moist skin and begin their lives in water. | A great crested newt is an amphibian. It has moist skin and begins its life in water.
Some newts live in water. Other newts live on land but lay their eggs in water.
A blue-footed booby is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
Blue-footed boobies live on tropical islands in the Pacific Ocean.
A helmeted iguana is a reptile. It has scaly, waterproof skin.
Iguanas are a type of lizard. Iguanas eat plants and fruit.
A robin is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
A robin is a songbird. It sings different songs at different times of the day. |