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What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Jacob dropped out of college to travel the world, but a year later, the prodigal son returned home and re-enrolled. | [
"British history",
"the Bible"
] | 1 | 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 prodigal son is the Bible.
In a Biblical parable, the prodigal son irresponsibly spends the inheritance given to him by his father. When he returns home, he expects to be shamed, but his father forgives him.
The allusion prodigal son means a person who behaves recklessly but later makes a repentant return. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Austen investigate with an experiment? | [
"Which of the three types of tomato seeds sprouts the fastest?",
"Does a certain kind of tomato plant grow taller when planted in a clay pot or in a plastic pot?",
"Which type of soil will cause a certain kind of tomato plant to grow the most fruit?"
] | 0 | Austen and his classmates are growing tomato plants in the school garden. He wonders what factors affect how tomato plants grow. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
three different types of tomato seeds
one bag of potting soil
five identical clay pots
water | closed choice | grade6 | 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! | |
How long is a garden snail? | [
"27 meters",
"27 millimeters",
"27 kilometers",
"27 centimeters"
] | 1 | 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 garden snail is 27 millimeters.
27 centimeters, 27 meters, and 27 kilometers are all too long. |
Which object has the least thermal energy? | [
"an orange at a temperature of 17°C",
"an orange at a temperature of 12°C",
"an orange at a temperature of 19°C"
] | 1 | The objects are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade4 | 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 slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature. | All three oranges have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 12°C orange is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
cause - clump | [
"cork",
"cent"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | 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 cent is between the guide words cause - clump, it would be found on that page. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Bill inherited this trait? | [
"Bill likes to wear a blue sweater to match his blue eyes.",
"Bill's mother has blue eyes. She passed this trait down to Bill."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Bill has blue eyes. | 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. | |
What do these two changes have in common?
water vapor condensing on a bathroom mirror
your breath becoming visible on a cold day | [
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are chemical changes."
] | 1 | 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.
Water vapor condensing on a bathroom mirror is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. The water changes state from gas in the air to liquid water on the mirror. But the water vapor and the liquid water are both made of water.
Your breath becoming visible on a cold day is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. Water vapor in your breath touches the cold air outside and becomes liquid. The water vapor changes state, but it is made of water. A different type of matter is not formed.
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.
Both changes are caused by cooling. |
|
Select the reptile. | [
"Japanese tree frog",
"fruit bat",
"eagle ray",
"salt water crocodile"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Reptiles have scaly, waterproof skin. Most reptiles live on land. | A fruit bat is a mammal. It has hair and feeds its young milk.
Fruit bats eat fruit and drink nectar from flowers. They have special teeth to help them bite through fruit skins.
A Japanese tree frog is an amphibian. It has moist skin and begins its life in water.
There are many kinds of tree frogs. Most tree frogs are very small. They can walk on thin branches.
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 salt water crocodile is a reptile. It has scaly, waterproof skin.
Crocodiles hunt their prey in or near water. |
|
Based on this information, what is Coco's phenotype for the fur length trait? | [
"Ff",
"short fur"
] | 1 | In a group of Syrian hamsters, some individuals have short fur and others have long fur. In this group, the gene for the fur length trait has two alleles. The allele F is for short fur, and the allele f is for long fur.
Coco, a Syrian hamster from this group, has short fur. Coco has one allele for short fur and one allele for long fur. | 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 phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait. Coco's observable version of the fur length trait is short fur. So, Coco's phenotype for the fur length trait is short fur. |
People still debate economic policy today. Based on the definition above, which of the following is a question about economic policy? | [
"Should a panda be considered a bear?",
"Who should have the right to vote?",
"Should students raise their hands before answering?",
"Should the government raise taxes to build roads?"
] | 3 | Jacksonian America was the period of United States history from the 1820s to the 1840s. It is named after Andrew Jackson, who was president for part of that time. In the following questions, you will learn about debates that took place in Jacksonian America over economic policy. Read the definition of economic policy. Then answer the question below.
Economic policy is the set of decisions the government makes about how to get and use money and resources. It also includes rules about how people and businesses can use resources, produce goods, and earn or spend money. | closed choice | grade8 | social science | us-history | The Jacksonian period | Tariff, nullification, and bank war | Look at the underlined part of the definition.
Economic policy is the set of decisions the government makes about how to get and use money and resources. It also includes rules about how people and businesses can use resources, produce goods, and earn or spend money.
Based on that definition, this choice is correct:
Should the government raise taxes to build roads?
This question is about how the government should collect and spend money, so it is a question about economic policy. |
|
Would you find the word deep on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
danger - doll | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 1 | 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 deep is between the guide words danger - doll, it would be found on that page. |
|
Compare the motion of two bowhead whales. Which bowhead whale was moving at a lower speed? | [
"a bowhead whale that moved 15kilometers in 5hours",
"a bowhead whale that moved 10kilometers in 5hours"
] | 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 slower will go a shorter distance in that time. It is moving at a lower speed. | Look at the distance each bowhead whale moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One bowhead whale moved 10 kilometers in 5 hours.
The other bowhead whale moved 15 kilometers in 5 hours.
Notice that each bowhead whale spent the same amount of time moving. The bowhead whale that moved 10 kilometers moved a shorter distance in that time. So, that bowhead whale must have moved at a lower speed. |
|
Based on this information, what is Rolf's phenotype for the fur color trait? | [
"brown fur",
"black fur"
] | 0 | In a group of Labrador retrievers, some individuals have black fur and others have brown fur. In this group, the gene for the fur color trait has two alleles. The allele for brown fur (f) is recessive to the allele for black fur (F).
Rolf is a Labrador retriever from this group. Rolf has the homozygous genotype ff for the fur color gene. | closed choice | grade6 | 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. | Rolf's genotype for the fur color gene is ff. Rolf's genotype of ff has only f alleles. The f allele is for brown fur. So, Rolf's phenotype for the fur color trait must be brown fur.
To check this answer, consider whether Rolf's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for brown fur (f) is recessive to the allele for black fur (F). This means F is a dominant allele, and f is a recessive allele.
Rolf's genotype of ff has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, Rolf's phenotype for the fur color trait must be brown fur. |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Owen picked up his pace on the trail as his spidey sense began to tingle. | [
"a comic book",
"Italian history"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | 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 spidey sense is a comic book.
The comic book superhero Spider-Man possesses a spidey sense that warns him of impending trouble.
The allusion spidey sense means a sense of danger coming. |
|
Which text uses the word disinterested in its traditional sense? | [
"As a financial advisor, Katie is required to give disinterested advice and to value her clients' financial interests above her own.",
"Katie has been feeling disinterested in her work as a financial advisor; she would prefer to spend more time on her own investments."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | 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 first text uses disinterested in its traditional sense: unbiased or impartial.
As a financial advisor, Katie is required to give disinterested advice and to value her clients' financial interests above her own.
The second text uses disinterested in its nontraditional sense: uninterested or indifferent.
Katie has been feeling disinterested in her work as a financial advisor; she would prefer to spend more time on her own investments.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word disinterested because it is considered more standard. |
|
Which word does not rhyme? | [
"link",
"stink",
"tube"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade1 | 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 ip sound.
The words lake and make rhyme. They both end with the ake sound.
The words tip and lake don't rhyme. They end with different sounds. | The words link and stink rhyme. They both end with the ink sound.
The word tube does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Danny investigate with an experiment? | [
"Do watercolor paintings dry faster when placed next to a fan?",
"Do watercolor paintings dry faster when they are placed inside or outside?",
"Does a large watercolor painting or a small watercolor painting dry faster?"
] | 1 | Danny is painting watercolor pictures with his friend. An hour after they have finished, Danny notices one painting is dry but the other is not. He wonders what factors affect how quickly watercolor paintings dry. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
two freshly painted watercolor pictures of the same size
his dining room table
a picnic table in his backyard
a heater | 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 word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
half - history | [
"hockey",
"hen"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | 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 hen is between the guide words half - history, it would be found on that page. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
The audience's thunderous applause left me completely speechless! | [
"declarative",
"interrogative",
"exclamatory"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade6 | 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, and it always ends with a period.
The nurse told Mr. Abrams to roll up his sleeve so that she could check his blood pressure.
An interrogative sentence is a question, and it always ends with a question mark.
Do you have any plans for the upcoming weekend?
An imperative sentence is a command. It makes a request or tells someone to do something, and it usually ends with a period. If the command shows strong feeling, it ends with an exclamation point.
For this assignment, use references to support your claims.
Don't drive so quickly in the construction zone!
An exclamatory sentence is like a statement, but it shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.
I can't wait to travel through Europe this summer! | The sentence tells about something, but it shows strong feeling and ends with an exclamation point. It is an exclamatory sentence. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Steve acquired this trait? | [
"Steve likes to look at butterflies and beetles.",
"Steve learned to identify insects by reading many books about insects."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Steve is good at identifying insects. | 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. | |
Compare the motion of two speed walkers. Which speed walker was moving at a higher speed? | [
"a speed walker who moved 50miles in 10hours",
"a speed walker who moved 25miles in 10hours"
] | 0 | 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 speed walker moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One speed walker moved 50 miles in 10 hours.
The other speed walker moved 25 miles in 10 hours.
Notice that each speed walker spent the same amount of time moving. The speed walker who moved 50 miles moved a farther distance in that time. So, that speed walker must have moved at a higher speed. |
|
Select the one true statement. | [
"The cytoplasm of an animal cell is inside the cell membrane.",
"The vacuoles of an animal cell use sunlight to make sugar.",
"The cell membrane directs cell activities by sending instructions to different parts of an animal cell."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Cells | Compare cells and cell parts | |||
Which tense does the sentence use?
Brad invited Sofia to his house. | [
"present tense",
"past tense",
"future tense"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | 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, invited. The verb ends in -ed and tells you about something that has already happened. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Scott washed the windshield of his car even though he knew it would just get dirty again.",
"Scott washed the windshield of his car even though he knew the car would just get dirty again."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns and antecedents | 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 second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun it could refer to the windshield or the car.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. It has been replaced with the car.
Scott washed the windshield of his car even though he knew the car would just get dirty again. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Researchers have proven that African violets prefer an environment with a temperature that stays between 65 and 80°F.",
"They have proven that African violets prefer an environment with a temperature that stays between 65 and 80°F."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns and antecedents | 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 they is used without its antecedent.
The second answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. They has been replaced with researchers.
Researchers have proven that African violets prefer an environment with a temperature that stays between 65 and 80°F. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
At twenty-one, Bruce felt overwhelmed with adult responsibilities and wished he could fly off to Neverland. | [
"simile",
"allusion"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | 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 an allusion, a brief reference to someone or something well known.
Neverland alludes to the story of Peter Pan, a boy who lived in Neverland and never grew up. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Rachel and her sister posed for a photograph, but when the flash went off, Rachel blinked.",
"Rachel and her sister posed for a photograph, but when the flash went off, she blinked."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns and antecedents | 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 second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun she could refer to Rachel or her sister.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. She has been replaced with Rachel.
Rachel and her sister posed for a photograph, but when the flash went off, Rachel blinked. |
|
Which type of sentence is this?
An avid reader, Braden attends weekly book club meetings, and he finishes several novels every month. | [
"simple",
"compound",
"compound-complex",
"complex"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | grammar | Phrases and clauses | Is the sentence simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) is not a complete thought and 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 the flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard a rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause in a complex sentence usually begins with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun. Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, and while. Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, or whose.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids.
During his trip to Italy, Tony visited the Trevi Fountain, which is in Rome.
A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
After Samantha left work, she stopped at the bank, and then she went to the gym.
Sometimes a dependent clause in a complex or compound-complex sentence can interrupt an independent clause.
Orcas that are kept in captivity often have bent dorsal fins. | The sentence is compound. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction and.
An avid reader, Braden attends weekly book club meetings, and he finishes several novels every month. |
|
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"Best Wishes,\nKaren",
"Best wishes,\nKaren"
] | 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 first closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Sean investigate with an experiment? | [
"Does white sandwich bread grow visible mold in fewer days if the bread is stored inside or outside the refrigerator?",
"Does white sandwich bread grow visible mold in fewer days if the bread is stored in a paper bag or in a plastic bag?",
"Does white or whole wheat sandwich bread grow visible mold in fewer days?"
] | 0 | Sean starts to make a sandwich, but he sees mold on the bread! He wonders what factors affect how mold grows on bread. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
two loaves of white sandwich bread
a small plastic bag
a large plastic bag
a refrigerator | 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! | |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Lola has naturally blond hair. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 0 | Hint: Some people dye their hair. But this does not change their natural hair color. | 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. | Humans do not choose their natural hair color. Instead, children get their natural hair color from their parents. So, Lola's hair color is an inherited trait. |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Before Mona had even met her future husband in person, she knew about his reputation as a Romeo. | [
"literature",
"Roman mythology"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | 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 Romeo is literature.
In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is known for the eloquent declaration of love with which he woos Juliet.
The allusion Romeo means a man who is very romantic. |
|
What is the volume of a bathtub? | [
"375 milliliters",
"375 liters"
] | 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 bathtub is 375 liters.
375 milliliters is too little. |
What information supports the conclusion that Julia acquired this trait? | [
"Julia knits sweaters using cotton, wool, and other types of yarn.",
"Julia learned how to knit in an after school program."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Julia knows how to knit sweaters. | closed choice | grade5 | 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. | |
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear dr. gupta,",
"Dear Dr. Gupta,"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | 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 second greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Dr. Gupta is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
Judith will sweep the sidewalk in front of her store. | [
"future tense",
"present tense",
"past tense"
] | 0 | 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, sweep. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Is this a sentence fragment?
Smoke from the cabin visible for miles up and down the coast. | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 1 | yes or no | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Identify sentence fragments | 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 sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought.
Rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing a subject. It doesn't tell who is rehearsing.
The band I'm in.
This fragment is missing a verb. It doesn't tell what the band I'm in is doing.
Because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing an independent clause. It doesn't tell what happened because of the concert. | This is a sentence fragment. It does not express a complete thought.
Smoke from the cabin visible for miles up and down the coast.
Here is one way to fix the sentence fragment:
Smoke from the cabin is visible for miles up and down the coast. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Clarence investigate with an experiment? | [
"Do the squirrels eat walnuts from large feeders more often than from small feeders?",
"Do the squirrels select sunflower seeds or walnuts more often?",
"Which type of tree do the squirrels feed from most often?"
] | 1 | Clarence enjoys feeding the squirrels in his backyard. He notices that they spend a lot of time collecting seeds and nuts. He wonders about what factors affect which foods squirrels choose to collect. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
two identical squirrel feeders
a bag of sunflower seeds
a bag of walnuts
a tree to hang the feeders from | closed choice | grade6 | 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 word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
pillar - promise | [
"palm",
"potato"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | 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 potato is between the guide words pillar - promise, it would be found on that page. |
|
What is the mass of a trumpet? | [
"1 kilogram",
"1 gram"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | 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 a trumpet is 1 kilogram.
1 gram is too light. |
Assume all other forces on the dresser are balanced. Which statement describes the forces on the dresser? | [
"The forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on the dresser.",
"The forces are balanced, so there is no net force on the dresser."
] | 0 | Sophie is sliding a heavy dresser across the carpeted floor of her apartment. She is pushing the dresser forward with a force of 350N. The carpet is pushing the dresser backward with a force of 380N. | 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 the dresser, look at the forces:
Sophie is pushing the dresser forward with a force of 350 N.
The carpet is pushing the dresser backward with a force of 380 N.
The forces are in opposite directions, and the forces have different magnitudes: 350 N and 380 N. This means that the forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on the dresser. |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
"Mary is such a Pollyanna!" Fred announced with a sigh. | [
"British history",
"literature"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | 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 Pollyanna is literature.
The character Pollyanna, from Eleanor Porter's children's book, is a young girl who finds good in everything and everyone.
The allusion Pollyanna means an overly optimistic person. |
|
Would you find the word excite on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
engine - essay | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | 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 excite is not between the guide words engine - essay, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
No one in your family surfs? But I thought you said you lived in California before this. | [
"false causation: the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other",
"hasty generalization: a very broad claim based on very little evidence"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | a personal attack meant to discredit one's opponent
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
red herring | the use of a completely unrelated topic in support of a claim
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a very broad claim based on very little evidence
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that a person from California must have a surfer in his or her family. However, even though some people in California surf, that doesn't necessarily mean that every family has a surfer. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as a hasty generalization. |
|
Select the gas. | [
"plate",
"air inside a soccer ball",
"baseball cap",
"ballet shoes"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | States of matter | Identify solids, liquids, and gases | Solid, liquid, and gas 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 definite volume and a definite shape. So, a solid has a size and shape of its own.
Some solids can be easily folded, bent, or broken. A piece of paper is a solid. Also, some solids are very small. A grain of sand is a solid.
When matter is a liquid, it has a definite volume but not a definite shape. So, a liquid has a size of its own, but it does not have a shape of its own. Think about pouring juice from a bottle into a cup. The juice still takes up the same amount of space, but it takes the shape of the bottle.
Some liquids do not pour as easily as others. Honey and milk are both liquids. But pouring honey takes more time than pouring milk.
When matter is a gas, it does not have a definite volume or a definite shape. A gas expands, or gets bigger, until it completely fills a space. A gas can also get smaller if it is squeezed into a smaller space.
Many gases are invisible. Air is a gas. | The air inside a soccer ball is a gas. A gas expands to fill a space. The air fills all the space inside the soccer ball. If air leaks out, it will expand into the space around the ball.
A baseball cap is a solid. A solid has a size and shape of its own. If you put a baseball cap on your head, the baseball cap will still have a size and shape of its own.
A plate is a solid. If someone drops a plate, it may break into pieces. But each piece will still have a size and shape of its own.
A ballet shoe is a solid. A solid has a size and shape of its own. When a dancer wears a ballet shoe, it may bend a little. But the ballet shoe still has a size and shape of its own. |
|
Which text uses the word peruse in its traditional sense? | [
"Eddie perused a clothing catalog as he waited for his appointment, flipping through the pages distractedly.",
"Eddie perused a catalog from his wife's favorite clothing store, searching for the perfect birthday gift."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | 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 first text uses peruse in its traditional sense: to examine in detail.
Eddie perused a catalog from his wife's favorite clothing store, searching for the perfect birthday gift.
The second text uses peruse in its nontraditional sense: to look through in a casual manner.
Eddie perused a clothing catalog as he waited for his appointment, flipping through the pages distractedly.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word peruse because it is considered more standard. |
|
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
Jeffrey lives in a town with hot summers and freezing cold winters. | [
"weather",
"climate"
] | 1 | Hint: Weather is what the atmosphere is like at a certain place and time. Climate is the pattern of weather in a certain place. | closed choice | grade3 | 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.
Jeffrey lives in a town with hot summers and freezing cold winters.
This passage tells you about the usual temperatures where Jeffrey lives. It does not describe what the weather is like on a particular day. So, this passage describes the climate. |
Which text uses the word peruse in its traditional sense? | [
"Herman perused a clothing catalog as he waited for his appointment, flipping through the pages distractedly.",
"Herman perused a catalog from his wife's favorite clothing store, searching for the perfect birthday gift."
] | 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 first text uses peruse in its traditional sense: to examine in detail.
Herman perused a catalog from his wife's favorite clothing store, searching for the perfect birthday gift.
The second text uses peruse in its nontraditional sense: to look through in a casual manner.
Herman perused a clothing catalog as he waited for his appointment, flipping through the pages distractedly.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word peruse because it is considered more standard. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Mayor Kelley wants to create more bicycle lanes in Greenwood. However, many citizens of Greenwood live far from work. It would not be realistic to force us to give up our cars and bike everywhere. | [
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against",
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good",
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a broad claim based on too few observations
slippery slope fallacy | the false assumption that a small first step will necessarily lead to extreme consequences
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that Mayor Kelley wants people to give up their cars. However, this misrepresents Mayor Kelley's argument. Mayor Kelley only wants to create more bike lanes. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as a straw man. |
|
Which body part breaks down food? | [
"stomach",
"brain",
"skeleton"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | biology | Animals | Body parts and their functions | |||
Select the fish. | [
"humpback whale",
"piranha",
"zebra",
"gharial"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Fish live underwater. They have fins, not limbs. | A gharial is a reptile. It has scaly, waterproof skin.
Gharials are a type of crocodile. Gharials live near rivers and eat fish.
A zebra is a mammal. It has hair and feeds its young milk.
Zebras eat mostly grass. But they sometimes eat other types of plants, such as shrubs or tree bark.
A humpback whale is a mammal. It has hair and feeds its young milk.
Whales are mammals that live in the ocean. Humpback whales have small hairs that grow from bumps around their mouth.
A piranha is a fish. It lives underwater. It has fins, not limbs.
Piranhas have sharp teeth. Piranhas hunt in groups. A group of piranhas can eat a large animal. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Ruben has a scar on his left elbow. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | Hint: Most scars are caused by accidents during a person's life. | 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. | 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. |
How long is a grain of rice? | [
"4 centimeters",
"4 millimeters",
"4 kilometers",
"4 meters"
] | 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 grain of rice is 4 millimeters.
4 centimeters, 4 meters, and 4 kilometers are all too long. |
Which change best matches the sentence?
Water moves loose pieces of rock. | [
"erosion",
"wildfire",
"volcanic eruption"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | earth-science | Earth events | Classify changes to Earth's surface I | |||
Choose the poem that uses onomatopoeia. | [
"I have seen the proudest stars\nThat wander on through space,\nEven the sun and moon,\nBut not your face.",
"Ay, bring the hillside beech\nFrom where the owlets meet and screech,\nAnd ravens croak;\nThe crackling pine, and cedar sweet"
] | 1 | From Robert Hinckley Messenger, "Give Me the Old" and from Helen Dudley, "To One Unknown" | closed choice | grade9 | language science | reading-comprehension | Analyzing literature | Identify elements of poetry | Poets often use the sounds of words to create interesting effects and to express moods and emotions. Understanding these elements of poetry can help you better interpret and appreciate poetic forms.
Anaphora is the repetition of words or sequences of words at the beginning of multiple phrases, sentences, or lines.
Out of the cradle endlessly rocking,
Out of the mocking-bird's throat, the musical shuttle,
Out of the Ninth-month midnight
—From Walt Whitman, "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking"
Onomatopoeia is when language sounds like what it talks about.
Sometimes the onomatopoeia uses made-up words:
Tlot-tlot! tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse hoofs ringing clear.
—From Alfred Noyes, "The Highwayman"
Sometimes the onomatopoeia uses real words:
Hark! the honey bee is humming.
—From Mary Howitt, "The Voice of Spring"
Alliteration is when beginning consonant sounds are repeated in words that are close together.
Where the wild men watched and waited
Wolves in the forest, and bears in the bush.
—From Bayard Taylor, "A Night with a Wolf"
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. Often, assonance can create rhymes or near-rhymes within lines.
I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o'er Vales and Hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden Daffodils.
—From William Wordsworth, "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"
Meter is a poem's rhythm, or the pattern of strong and weak syllables. Strong syllables are stressed, while weak syllables are unstressed.
A poem has an iambic meter when the beat sounds like da-DUM. A weak syllable is followed by a strong syllable. Occasionally, a line may begin with a strong syllable.
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.
—From Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "The Eagle"
A poem has a trochaic meter when the beat sounds like DUM-da. A strong syllable is followed by a weak syllable. Occasionally, a line may end in a strong syllable.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
—From Edgar Allen Poe, "The Raven"
Free verse is when a poem has neither a regular rhythm nor a rhyme pattern.
The old bridge has a wrinkled face.
He bends his back
For us to go over.
—From Hilda Conkling, "The Old Bridge"
The syllables in bold are strong. You can see this poem does not have a regular rhythm. It also doesn't have a rhyme pattern. | This poem uses onomatopoeia. It uses language that sounds like what it talks about. |
Which type of sentence is this?
Dominic took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. | [
"compound",
"compound-complex",
"simple",
"complex"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | grammar | Phrases and clauses | Is the sentence simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) is not a complete thought and 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 the flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard a rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause in a complex sentence usually begins with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun. Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, and while. Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, or whose.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids.
During his trip to Italy, Tony visited the Trevi Fountain, which is in Rome.
A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
After Samantha left work, she stopped at the bank, and then she went to the gym.
Sometimes a dependent clause in a complex or compound-complex sentence can interrupt an independent clause.
Orcas that are kept in captivity often have bent dorsal fins. | The sentence is simple. It is a single independent clause.
Dominic took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Lexi is good at cooking. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | Hint: Cooking well 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 cook. Instead, many people learn how to cook. So, cooking is an acquired trait. |
What information supports the conclusion that Judith inherited this trait? | [
"Judith's parents have dark skin. They passed down this trait to Judith.",
"Judith and her father both have dark hair."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Judith has dark skin. | 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. | |
Select the invertebrate. | [
"saturn butterfly",
"robin",
"Galapagos giant tortoise",
"ground squirrel"
] | 0 | Hint: Insects, spiders, and worms are invertebrates. | 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 saturn butterfly is an insect. Like other insects, a saturn butterfly is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A ground squirrel is a mammal. Like other mammals, a ground squirrel is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A Galapagos giant tortoise is a reptile. Like other reptiles, a Galapagos giant tortoise is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A robin is a bird. Like other birds, a robin is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. |
What information supports the conclusion that Deb inherited this trait? | [
"Deb and her mother both have short hair.",
"Deb's parents were born with wavy hair. They passed down this trait to Deb."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Deb has wavy hair. | closed choice | grade5 | 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. | |
Using only these supplies, which question can Mason investigate with an experiment? | [
"When hung in the laundry room, do black cloth towels or white cloth towels dry more quickly?",
"Do cloth towels dry faster if they are hung in the laundry room or in the backyard?",
"Does a small cloth towel or a large cloth towel dry faster when hung in the backyard?"
] | 1 | After Mason cleans up a spill, he hangs a wet cloth towel in the laundry room. Two hours later, he notices that the towel has partially dried. He wonders what factors affect how cloth dries. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
two identical white cloth towels
water
a clothesline in the laundry room
a clothesline in the backyard | closed choice | grade6 | 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 greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear Uncle Danny,",
"dear Uncle Danny,"
] | 0 | 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 first greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Uncle Danny is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
Select the vertebrate. | [
"red-kneed tarantula",
"giant octopus",
"red-tailed hawk",
"castor bean tick"
] | 2 | 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 tarantulas, a red-kneed tarantula is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
Like other octopuses, a giant octopus is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a soft body.
A castor bean tick is an insect. Like other insects, a castor bean tick is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A red-tailed hawk is a bird. Like other birds, a red-tailed hawk is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. |
Select the deep sea ecosystem. | [
"This ecosystem has:\nwater at the bottom of the ocean\nno sunlight\norganisms that crawl or stick to the ground",
"This ecosystem has:\nshallow, salty water\nbright sunlight\nmany different types of organisms"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Ecosystems | Identify ecosystems | An environment includes all of the biotic, or living, and abiotic, or nonliving, things in an area. An ecosystem is created by the relationships that form among the biotic and abiotic parts of an environment.
There are many different types of ecosystems. Here are some ways in which these ecosystems can differ from each other:
the pattern of weather, or climate
the type of soil or water
the organisms that live there | A deep sea is a type of ecosystem. It has water at the bottom of the ocean, no sunlight, and organisms that crawl or stick to the ground.
Choice 1 is a deep sea ecosystem. It is at the bottom of the ocean. It is so far underwater that no sunlight can reach it.
Choice 2 is a tropical coral reef ecosystem. It has shallow water and many different types of organisms. |
|
Which ping pong ball has a higher temperature? | [
"the ping pong ball with more thermal energy",
"the ping pong ball with less thermal energy"
] | 0 | Two ping pong balls 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 move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher 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 ping pong balls are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the ping pong ball with more thermal energy has a higher temperature. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
After basketball practice, I was so hungry that I could have eaten a horse. | [
"paradox",
"hyperbole"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures 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 hyperbole, an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
Could have eaten a horse is an exaggeration, since it is unlikely that someone could eat an entire horse. |
|
Which sentence is more formal? | [
"There are some things that Ms. Campbell wants to bring up at the next city council meeting.",
"Ms. Campbell has several important proposals to discuss at the next city council meeting."
] | 1 | 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 second sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses overly simple or imprecise language (some things, bring up).
The first sentence uses more precise language, so it is more formal overall. |
|
Select the animal. | [
"Fig trees have many leaves.",
"Ladybugs walk and fly."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify plants and animals | Plants and animals are living things. Living things are called organisms.
Plants come in many shapes and sizes. Most plants grow in the ground. They might grow leaves, flowers, and fruit. Plants cannot move around on their own like animals can.
Animals also come in many shapes and sizes. Most animals can move around. Animals might run, swim, jump, or fly. Animals eat plants or other organisms for food. | A fig tree is a plant. It has many leaves.
Fig trees grow in dry, sunny places.
A ladybug is an animal. It walks and flies.
Some ladybugs have spots. Other types of ladybugs have stripes! |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
The president of the company announces the plan. | [
"past tense",
"present tense",
"future tense"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | 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, announces. The verb ends in -s and tells you about something that is true or happening now. |
|
Assume all other forces on the train are balanced. Which statement describes the forces on the train? | [
"The forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on the train.",
"The forces are balanced, so there is no net force on the train."
] | 1 | A train is sitting on a magnetic track. Earth's gravity is pulling down on the train with a force of 200,000N. The magnetic track is pushing up on the train with a force of 200,000N. | 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 the train, look at the forces:
Earth's gravity is pulling the train down with a force of 200,000 N.
The magnetic track is pushing the train up with a force of 200,000 N.
The forces are in opposite directions, and the forces have the same magnitude: 200,000 N. This means that the forces are balanced, so there is no net force on the train. |
What is the temperature of a hot day in the desert? | [
"47°F",
"47°C"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Estimate temperatures | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Temperature can be written with units of degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or Celsius (°C). Use the list below to compare the two units.
212°F | Water boils | 100°C
98.6°F | Body temperature | 37°C
68°F | Room temperature | 20°C
32°F | Water freezes | 0°C
| The better estimate for the temperature of a hot day in the desert is 47°C.
47°F is too cold. |
Which soccer ball has a lower temperature? | [
"the soccer ball with more thermal energy",
"the soccer ball with less thermal energy"
] | 1 | Two soccer balls are identical except for their thermal energies. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | physics | Heat and 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 soccer balls are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the soccer ball with less thermal energy has a lower temperature. |
Compare the motion of three motorboats. Which motorboat was moving at the highest speed? | [
"a motorboat that moved 180kilometers east in 5hours",
"a motorboat that moved 360kilometers south in 5hours",
"a motorboat that moved 90kilometers east in 5hours"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | 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 objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving the fastest will go the farthest distance in that time. It is moving at the highest speed. | Look at the distance each motorboat moved and the time it took to move that distance. The direction each motorboat moved does not affect its speed.
Notice that each motorboat moved for 5 hours. The motorboat that moved 360 kilometers moved the farthest distance in that time. So, that motorboat must have moved at the highest speed. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
No one lives at the base of the volcano. | [
"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. |
|
Complete the statement.
Phosphine is (). | [
"a compound",
"an elementary substance"
] | 0 | Phosphine is a poisonous gas that some farmers use to kill insects. The chemical formula for phosphine is PH3. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | chemistry | Atoms and molecules | Classify elementary substances and compounds using chemical formulas | Every substance around you is made of one or more chemical elements, or types of atoms. Substances that are made of only one chemical element are elementary substances. Substances that are made of two or more chemical elements bonded together are compounds.
Every chemical element is represented by its own symbol. For some elements, the symbol is one capital letter. For other elements, the symbol is one capital letter and one lowercase letter. For example, the symbol for the element fluorine is F, and the symbol for the element beryllium is Be.
The symbol for each element in a substance is shown in the substance's chemical formula.
An elementary substance is represented by a chemical formula that contains only one symbol.
The symbol may be followed by a subscript. A subscript is text that is smaller and placed lower than the normal line of text. A subscript is included when the atoms in the elementary substance are bonded to form molecules. The subscript tells you the number of atoms in each molecule.
For example, the chemical formula for the elementary substance oxygen is O2. The formula has a subscript of 2. This subscript tells you that there are two atoms in the molecule represented by this chemical formula.
The chemical element represented by the symbol O is also called oxygen. So, the formula O2 tells you that each molecule of O2 contains two oxygen atoms.
A compound is represented by a chemical formula that contains multiple symbols.
For example, in the compound beryllium fluoride, there is one beryllium atom for every two fluorine atoms. This combination is shown in the compound's chemical formula, BeF2. In the formula, the symbol Be represents one beryllium atom. The symbol F followed by the subscript 2 represents two fluorine atoms. | You can tell whether phosphine is an elementary substance or a compound by counting the number of symbols in its chemical formula. A symbol contains either one capital letter or a capital letter followed by one or two lowercase letters.
The chemical formula for phosphine is PH3. This formula contains two symbols: P for phosphorus and H for hydrogen. So, the formula tells you that phosphine is made of two chemical elements bonded together.
Substances made of two or more chemical elements bonded together are compounds. So, phosphine is a compound. |
Which letter to the editor is more formal? | [
"I'm writing because I'm fed up about our library not staying open like it used to.",
"I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the library's reduced hours."
] | 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 letter to the editor is more formal. It uses more elevated language (writing to express my dissatisfaction, reduced hours). The other letter to the editor uses contractions (I'm) and slang (fed up). |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
It's an open secret that Ryan is writing a book based on his experiences living in Singapore. He never talks about it, but almost all his friends know. | [
"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.
Open secret is a contradiction, because open describes something that is freely or publicly known, and a secret is hidden. |
|
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"Thanks,\nDana",
"thanks,\nDana"
] | 0 | 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. |
|
Select the phase of the Moon shown in the model. | [
"new",
"full"
] | 1 | The model below shows the Moon at one position in its orbit around Earth. The white half of the Moon shows the part that is lit up by the Sun. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | earth-science | Astronomy | Identify phases of the Moon | Although the Moon appears to shine, it does not give off light. Instead, we can see the Moon because it is lit up by the Sun. The part of the Moon that is both lit up by the Sun and facing Earth is called the Moon's phase.
The Moon orbits, or goes around, Earth. As it does, the Moon's phase changes. The model below shows the Moon's phase at eight positions in its orbit. The smaller moons closer to Earth show where sunlight hits the Moon. The larger moons farther from Earth show how the Moon will look during that phase.
To use the model, first pick one of the eight positions. Then, imagine standing on Earth and looking up at the Moon. Use the dotted white lines in the model to guide you. The picture of the Moon shows its phase for that position. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, the Moon will appear flipped, left to right. | |
Last year, there were seven men's clothing stores on Main Street in Ashland. This year, there are only three. What probably happened to the overall supply of men's shirts in Ashland? | [
"The supply probably went up.",
"The supply probably went down."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | 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. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Shawn acquired this trait? | [
"Shawn's scar was caused by an accident. He cut his arm when he fell off his bicycle.",
"Some scars fade more quickly than others."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Shawn has a scar on his right arm. | 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. | |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Much to our shock, Erik chose to turn the other cheek when Cora insulted him in a meeting. | [
"a song",
"the Bible"
] | 1 | 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 turn the other cheek is the Bible.
In the Bible, Jesus counsels his followers to resist retaliation. He says that if they are struck on the right cheek, they shouldn't lash out; instead, they should turn the other cheek toward their attacker.
The allusion turn the other cheek means to respond without aggression. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Percy acquired this trait? | [
"Percy rides his bicycle to school.",
"Percy's friend showed him how to ride a bicycle.",
"Percy and his mother both ride bicycles."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Percy can ride a bicycle. | 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 text message is more formal? | [
"Ms. Norton is already here. She's waiting in the lobby.",
"Heads up! Norton is here. In the lobby."
] | 0 | 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 first text message is more formal. It uses complete sentences, avoids slang (heads up), and uses the person's title (Ms. Norton). The other text message includes more casual language and sentence fragments. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
boiling an egg
acid rain weathering a marble statue | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling."
] | 2 | 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.
Boiling an egg is a chemical change. The heat causes the matter in the egg to change. Cooked eggs and raw eggs are made of different types of matter.
Acid rain weathering a marble statue is a chemical change. The acid rain reacts with the outside of the statue and breaks it down into a different type of matter. This new matter is then washed away by the rain. Acid rain is a type of pollution. It forms when smoke from automobiles and factories mixes with water in clouds.
Acid rain is a type of pollution. It forms when automobiles and factories release smoke containing sulfur or nitrogen. Some of these chemicals react with water in the atmosphere. The reaction forms droplets of water that can fall back to the ground as acid rain.
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 is caused by heating. But acid rain weathering a marble statue is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
shadow - sprout | [
"site",
"stump"
] | 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 site is between the guide words shadow - sprout, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"\"This morning, it said that Rachel Navarro won the mayoral election in Fairfax,\" Jack remarked to his sister.",
"\"This morning, the newspaper said that Rachel Navarro won the mayoral election in Fairfax,\" Jack remarked to his sister."
] | 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 second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun it is used without its antecedent.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. It has been replaced with the newspaper.
"This morning, the newspaper said that Rachel Navarro won the mayoral election in Fairfax," Jack remarked to his sister. |
|
Which text uses the word literally in its traditional sense? | [
"The curry that the chef prepared was so spicy that Seth's mouth was literally on fire by the time he finished his meal.",
"The curry that the chef prepared was so spicy that Seth literally had to drink three glasses of milk to ease the pain."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | 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 first text uses literally in its traditional sense: in a factual, non-exaggerated way.
The curry that the chef prepared was so spicy that Seth literally had to drink three glasses of milk to ease the pain.
The second text uses literally in its nontraditional sense: nearly or in effect (often exaggerated). Seth's mouth may be in pain, but it is not actually on fire.
The curry that the chef prepared was so spicy that Seth's mouth was literally on fire by the time he finished his meal.
Most style guides recommend to avoid using the nontraditional sense of the word literally because it is generally considered incorrect. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Jackie acquired this trait? | [
"Jackie can fly a plane on cloudy days and at night.",
"A pilot taught Jackie how to fly a plane.",
"Jackie is in the Air Force. She flies a plane almost every day."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Jackie knows how to fly a plane. | closed choice | grade8 | 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. | |
What does the verbal irony in this text suggest?
"Someone had better turn on the heat," Isabelle said, sweat glistening on her face. | [
"The temperature was too warm.",
"The temperature was just right."
] | 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.
Someone had better turn on the heat ironically suggests that the temperature was too warm. Isabelle did not think that more heat was needed; she was already sweating. |
|
What is the volume of a paper drinking cup? | [
"175 milliliters",
"175 liters"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | 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 175 milliliters.
175 liters is too much. |
Which organ receives signals from the body's senses? | [
"skeleton",
"heart",
"stomach",
"brain"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Animals | Human organs and their functions | |||
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Fans debated whether their team would rise from the ashes. | [
"U.S. history",
"Greek mythology"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | 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 rise from the ashes is Greek mythology.
In Greek mythology, a mythical bird called the phoenix lives for hundreds of years before bursting into flames at its death. However, it soon rises from its own ashes and is reborn.
The allusion rise from the ashes means to come back after destruction or defeat. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Jaylen spoke at the city council meeting, claiming the new recycling regulations were draconian. | [
"Greek history",
"a fairy tale"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | 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 draconian is Greek history.
Draco, a government official in seventh-century Athens, Greece, wrote a code of laws that called for severe punishments for even minor offenses.
The allusion draconian means harsh. |
|
Which object has the most thermal energy? | [
"a 525-gram bath towel at a temperature of 4°C",
"a 525-gram bath towel at a temperature of 14°C",
"a 525-gram bath towel at a temperature of 9°C"
] | 1 | The objects are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade4 | 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. | All three bath towels have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 14°C towel is the hottest, it has the most thermal energy. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
weary - worm | [
"wail",
"why"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | 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 why is between the guide words weary - worm, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which text uses the word can in its traditional sense? | [
"Janice can type using a keyboard with a QWERTY layout, but she prefers the Dvorak layout. The two keyboards have different arrangements of letters and symbols.",
"If Janice prefers a keyboard with the Dvorak layout, she can use mine. In my opinion, it's faster than typing on a keyboard with a QWERTY layout."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | 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 first text uses can in its traditional sense: to have the ability to.
Janice can type using a keyboard with a QWERTY layout, but she prefers the Dvorak layout. The two keyboards have different arrangements of letters and symbols.
The second text uses can in its nontraditional sense: to have permission to.
If Janice prefers a keyboard with the Dvorak layout, she can use mine. In my opinion, it's faster than typing on a keyboard with a QWERTY layout.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word can because it is considered more standard. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
When Donald finally agreed to let his daughter adopt the stray dog, she responded with a smile that was a mile wide. | [
"paradox",
"hyperbole"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | 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 hyperbole, an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
A smile that was a mile wide is an exaggeration, since it is physically impossible to have a smile that is actually a mile wide. |
|
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"Atlanta is the capital of Georgia.",
"Atlanta is too hot in the summer."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | social science | civics | Social studies skills | Identify facts and opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true. Facts can be proved by observing, measuring, or studying information.
The flag of the United States has 13 stripes.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at the flag and counting the number of stripes.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
The flag of the United States is easy to draw.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about what makes a flag "easy" to draw. | The second sentence states a fact.
Atlanta is the capital of Georgia.
It can be proved by looking at a map of Georgia.
The first sentence states an opinion.
Atlanta is too hot in the summer.
Too hot shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about how hot is too hot. |
|
How long is a bench? | [
"9 miles",
"9 feet",
"9 inches",
"9 yards"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary 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 customary units, length may be written with units of inches, feet, yards, or miles.
There are 12 inches in 1 foot, and 3 feet in 1 yard. There are 5,280 feet in 1 mile.
A football is about 1 foot long. A football field is 100 yards long. | The best estimate for the length of a bench is 9 feet.
9 inches is too short. 9 yards and 9 miles are too long. |