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social studies | grade-5 | costs-and-benefits | John is deciding whether to bake apple muffins or blueberry muffins. He wants the muffins to be tasty. But he also wants to make a lot of muffins.
Suppose John decides to bake blueberry muffins. Which result would be a cost? | [
"John will give up the chance to eat apple muffins. He thinks apple muffins are tastier than blueberry muffins.",
"John will get to eat more muffins. He can make more blueberry muffins than apple muffins."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-5 | formatting-and-capitalizing-titles | Which sentence is correct? | [
"Almost everyone watched the TV show \"Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.\"",
"Almost everyone watched the TV show \"Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends\"."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-3 | choose-between-personal-and-reflexive-pronouns | Select the best pronoun to complete the sentence.
Megan chuckled to ___ quietly. | [
"her",
"herself"
] | 1 |
language arts | kindergarten | choose-the-lowercase-letter-that-matches-f-i-j-l-m-t-y | Pick the lowercase letter that matches.
T | [
"h",
"t",
"b"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-9 | identify-sentence-fragments | Is there a sentence fragment?
Lucy created her own stylish leather identification tags for her pets. Because she couldn't find tags that she liked. | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-10 | identify-active-and-passive-voice | Which sentence is in passive voice? | [
"Significant improvements in athletic performance have been documented by Dr. Jensen's studies.",
"Dr. Jensen's studies have documented significant improvements in athletic performance."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-8 | is-it-a-complete-sentence-or-a-run-on | Which is a **complete sentence**? | [
"The police returned my wallet I had left it on the trolley.",
"Walnuts stay fresh longer in the refrigerator or freezer."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-8 | interpret-the-meaning-of-an-allusion-from-its-source | Read the source of the allusion.
George Orwell's novel "1984" uses the term doublethink to describe simultaneously believing two opposite ideas, such as "War is peace."
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below? | [
"a contradictory belief",
"a carefully considered belief"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-5 | analogies | Complete the analogy.
kid is to child as dad is to | [
"mom",
"father"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-6 | use-coordinating-conjunctions | Complete the sentence with the best conjunction.
Tammy wants to dye her hair purple ___ red. | [
"or",
"but"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-10 | avoid-double-illogical-and-unclear-comparisons | Which text best completes the sentence?
Larry is trying to decide which college to attend. Of his three choices, Clarksville College is ___. | [
"more practical",
"the most practical",
"more practical than any college"
] | 1 |
social studies | grade-2 | holi | Holi is also known by which name? | [
"Tie-Dye Day",
"Festival of Colors",
"Painting Day",
"Fireworks Festival"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-7 | which-definition-matches-the-sentence | What does **prune** mean here?
Every year, the city of Oakland must prune trees along its streets to keep branches clear from power lines. | [
"**prune** \"verb\" to trim",
"**prune** \"noun\" a dried plum"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-3 | is-it-a-complete-sentence-or-a-run-on | Which is a **run-on sentence**? | [
"The class chuckles at Ms. Hamilton's joke.",
"Our school has rules, we always follow them."
] | 1 |
social studies | grade-5 | the-american-revolution-preparing-for-war | In the 1770s, which of these was a name for someone who supported British rule? | [
"rebel",
"delegate",
"Patriot",
"Loyalist"
] | 3 |
language arts | grade-5 | use-the-correct-subject-or-verb | Complete the sentence with the best **verb**.
Every year Uncle Robert and Aunt Heather ___ me to spend the summer in Alaska. | [
"encourages",
"encourage"
] | 1 |
social studies | grade-4 | costs-and-benefits | Lara is deciding whether to get cake batter ice cream or vanilla bean ice cream. She likes cake batter more than vanilla bean. But a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream comes with a free waffle cone.
Suppose Lara decides to get the cake batter ice cream. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Lara will get to eat the cake batter ice cream. She likes this flavor more than vanilla bean.",
"Lara will give up the chance to get a free waffle cone. She would have enjoyed the waffle cone."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-12 | choose-the-word-whose-connotation-and-denotation-best-match-the-sentence | Complete the sentence with the word that best fits the overall meaning and tone.
Dominic appreciated the gallery owner's ___ efforts to include artwork from the local community. | [
"deliberate",
"calculating"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-8 | analyze-passages-from-narrative-of-the-life-of-frederick-douglass-part-2 | Review the passage.
I began, with the commencement of the year, to prepare myself for a final struggle, which should decide my fate one way or the other. My tendency was upward. I was fast approaching manhood, and year after year had passed, and I was still a slave. These thoughts roused me—I must do something. I therefore resolved that 1835 should not pass without witnessing an attempt, on my part, to secure my liberty.
But I was not willing to cherish this determination alone. My fellow-slaves were dear to me. I was anxious to have them participate with me in this, my life-giving determination. I therefore, though with great prudence, commenced early to ascertain their views and feelings in regard to their condition, and to imbue their minds with thoughts of freedom. I bent myself to devising ways and means for our escape, and meanwhile strove, on all fitting occasions, to impress them with the gross fraud and inhumanity of slavery. I went first to Henry, next to John, then to the others. I found, in them all, warm hearts and noble spirits. They were ready to hear, and ready to act when a feasible plan should be proposed. [ . . . ]
We met often, and consulted frequently, and told our hopes and fears, recounted the difficulties, real and imagined, which we should be called on to meet. At times we were almost disposed to give up, and try to content ourselves with our wretched lot; at others, we were firm and unbending in our determination to go. Whenever we suggested any plan, there was shrinking—the odds were fearful. [ . . . ] At every gate through which we were to pass, we saw a watchman—at every ferry a guard—on every bridge a sentinel—and in every wood a patrol. We were hemmed in upon every side. Here were the difficulties, real or imagined—the good to be sought, and the evil to be shunned.
On the one hand, there stood slavery, a stern reality, glaring frightfully upon us,—its robes already crimsoned with the blood of millions, and even now feasting itself greedily upon our own flesh. On the other hand, away back in the dim distance, under the flickering light of the north star, behind some craggy hill or snow-covered mountain, stood a doubtful freedom—half frozen—beckoning us to come and share its hospitality. [ . . . ] In coming to a fixed determination to run away, we did more than Patrick Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or death. With us it was a doubtful liberty at most, and almost certain death if we failed. For my part, I should prefer death to hopeless bondage.
From Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Why did Douglass tell John and Henry about his desire to escape? | [
"He needed to test them to see if they were capable of keeping secrets.",
"He wanted to avoid worrying them with his sudden disappearance.",
"He hoped they would support him by lending him money and supplies.",
"He cared about them and wanted them to join him on his journey."
] | 3 |
language arts | grade-12 | choose-the-analysis-that-logically-connects-the-evidence-to-the-claim | Read the claim and the supporting evidence.
**Claim:** Franco is remarkably virtuous.
**Evidence:** Franco is generous with his time.
Why does the evidence support the claim? Choose the **analysis** that better explains the connection. | [
"Franco believes generosity need not involve money.",
"Generosity is a key virtue."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-5 | choose-between-the-past-tense-and-past-participle | Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb.
Mateo ___ to leave the blister on his hand uncovered. | [
"known",
"knew"
] | 1 |
social studies | kindergarten | pledge-of-allegiance | Listen to this part of the Pledge of Allegiance. Pick the missing word.
I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the ___ for which it stands . . . | [
"Citizen",
"Republic"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-9 | words-with-re | When can a game be **resumed**? | [
"after a short break",
"after a winner has been declared"
] | 0 |
language arts | kindergarten | read-questions-with-short-vowel-words | Answer the question.
Can a kid hop? | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-3 | choose-the-text-that-matches-the-writers-purpose | You want to **entertain** someone **with a story about a waterfall**. "Entertain" means "give someone something to enjoy". What should you write? | [
"Come to Oregon and see amazing waterfalls! Oregon has some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country.",
"A waterfall is formed when water flows over a cliff. The tallest waterfall is Angel Falls in South America.",
"Lacey closed her eyes, feeling the waterfall's spray on her skin. The roar of the water hid all the other sounds in the forest."
] | 2 |
language arts | grade-8 | which-definition-matches-the-sentence | What does **defect** mean here?
There must be a defect in the software: every time I try to copy a file to a new location, the file becomes corrupted in the process. | [
"**defect** \"noun\" a fault or imperfection",
"**defect** \"verb\" to leave your country, party, or organization"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-11 | transitions-with-conjunctive-adverbs | Complete the text with the better adverbial conjunction.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease that affects people around the world. ___, ninety percent of deaths from malaria occur in Africa, showing the exigent need for establishing stronger preventative measures on the continent. | [
"Accordingly",
"However"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-5 | words-with-able-and-ible | Why might you want something to be **divisible**? | [
"so that it stays in one piece and doesn't fall apart",
"so that you can share it with someone else"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-6 | evaluate-newspaper-headlines-for-bias | Which headline best avoids biased language? | [
"Overpriced Produce Available at Local Farmers' Market",
"Fruits and Vegetables for Sale at Downtown Farmers' Market",
"Farmers' Market in City Center Offers Fresh, Delicious Products"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-6 | use-the-correct-modal-verb | Select the modal verb that best completes the sentence.
Amelia ___ play the trumpet before she learned to play the piano. | [
"could",
"may"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-5 | is-it-a-complete-sentence-or-a-fragment | Is this a complete sentence?
Some frogs jumped off the muddy bank. | [
"Some frogs jumped off the muddy bank."
] | 0 |
social studies | grade-8 | the-age-of-exploration-origins | In the 1400s, Europe was made up of many independent states. These states often competed with each other for resources, including imported goods from Africa and Asia. Imagine you are a European ruler in the 1400s. What could you do as a ruler to gain a competitive advantage, or an upper hand, over other European states? | [
"try to find new trade routes to Africa and Asia",
"ban any goods that came from Africa or Asia",
"rely on other European states to sell goods from Africa and Asia to you"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-12 | what-does-the-punctuation-suggest | What does the following sentence suggest?
The new European boutique, which sells handmade leather goods from France and Italy, has cornered a niche market in Burlington. | [
"There is more than one new European boutique in Burlington.",
"There is only one new European boutique in Burlington."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-5 | is-it-a-complete-sentence-or-a-fragment | Is this a sentence fragment?
The treaty between the two longtime enemies. | [
"The treaty between the two longtime enemies."
] | 0 |
social studies | grade-5 | the-statue-of-liberty | The people of France gave the Statue of Liberty as a gift. But they didn't pay for the platform for it to stand on. How was the platform paid for? | [
"The United States government paid for it with money from taxes.",
"Thousands of Americans donated small amounts of money.",
"One wealthy man donated all of the money.",
"The United States government paid for it with borrowed money."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-9 | classify-logical-fallacies | Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Joey once fell asleep with the window open and woke up with a horrible migraine. Since then, he's always made sure to close his window before going to sleep. | [
"false causation: the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other",
"ad hominem: an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself",
"false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-3 | does-the-adverb-tell-you-how-when-or-where | Look at the adverb in bold. Does it tell you "when" or "where"?
Lena dashed **forward**. | [
"when",
"where"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-5 | use-actions-and-dialogue-to-understand-characters | Read the sentence.
Valentina hummed a tune to herself as she skipped down the sidewalk.
Based on this sentence, how is Valentina probably feeling? | [
"pleased",
"shy"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-5 | read-historical-fiction | Read the story.
title: The First Flight
"Clarence!" Aunt Amelia called.
In his bedroom, Clarence closed his book and sighed. "Coming!"
A month ago, he'd come to Kitty Hawk to live with his aunt and uncle, who ran the village's general store. Since they'd been kind enough to take him in, he wanted to be helpful. Still, he wished he didn't have to run quite so many errands.
When he entered the storefront, Aunt Amelia was placing cans of peaches in a wooden crate.
"I need you to deliver these supplies to the Wright brothers," she said.
"Wright brothers?" Clarence thought he'd met the majority of Kitty Hawk's inhabitants, but that name wasn't familiar.
"They're two brothers from Ohio who are attempting to build a flying machine." Aunt Amelia laughed. "Imagine humans flying around like birds! Almost everyone I know thinks it's pure foolishness."
Clarence shrugged. Last year in school, he'd learned about a German engineer who'd designed a glider that could carry a person long distances. Clarence's teacher had declared it wouldn't be long until someone found a way to motorize it.
Aunt Amelia handed him the heavy crate. "The brothers' camp is four miles south, on the shore near the sand dunes."
As Clarence trudged out of town, he passed Kitty Hawk's one-room schoolhouse and thought again of the huge** **brick school he used to attend. Clarence had hoped to go to college after he graduated, but he could not afford to go. Until he could save up enough money, his dream was dead. He would probably end up working in his uncle's store instead.
An hour later, when Clarence reached the dunes, his hands were numb. Shivering in the frigid winds, he peered across the sand to where a small group of men were gathered around a giant metal contraption with wings. It looked similar to a photograph of a glider that Clarence had seen, but at the center of this glider, there was a large black metal tube attached to two propellers.
Curious, Clarence ventured closer. Two of the men, dressed in suits and ties, appeared to be city folk. Clarence realized those must be the Wright brothers. The brother with the red tie climbed onto the glider and lay flat on his stomach, nodding as the brother in the black tie spoke to him. Then, above the sound of the wind, Clarence heard a clatter, and the glider began shaking. It rumbled slowly forward, propellers spinning.
Moments later, it rose into the air! Clarence held his breath, counting the seconds. One, two, three . . . On twelve, the flight was over.
Cheering and throwing their caps in the air, the men raced toward the flying machine. Clarence followed, wanting to examine it up close. As the red-tie man descended from the machine, his brother slapped him on the back, saying, "December 17, 1903, 10:35 A.M. We will remember this moment forever, Orville."
Orville grinned. "The first flight, Wilbur," he answered. "Not bad for two brothers who work in a bicycle shop!"
Clarence's mouth dropped open. He had thought they were scientists at a famous university.
Later, after Clarence dropped off the supplies and returned home, he told his aunt and uncle about the first flight. Aunt Amelia was surprised, of course. But his uncle wasn't.
"Those Wrights spend half their time reading and the other half doing experiments, from what I hear," he said.
That night, back in his bedroom, Clarence pondered that. Maybe he would have to work at the general store for a while, but he had plenty of books. Looking up at the empty sky, he relived the brothers' achievement that day.
No, maybe his dream wasn't dead, after all.
This story takes place in 1903. Based on paragraphs 7 and 8, how do you think people probably felt about flying at that time in history? | [
"Everyone except the Wright brothers thought human flight was impossible.",
"Many Americans had already flown in planes, but they were often scared.",
"Some thought flying might be possible, but many thought it would never happen.",
"Most people thought flying couldn't happen until electricity was invented."
] | 2 |
social studies | grade-5 | middle-colonies-founding-and-government | John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret wanted to make money by charging fees for land in New Jersey. But to do this, they needed to attract Europeans to settle the land.
Which of these rules would probably make Europeans more likely to move to New Jersey? | [
"All settlers would be free to practice the religion of their choice.",
"All settlers would have to join an army to fight against Native Americans.",
"All settlers would have to work for seven years before they could get any land."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-9 | identify-plagiarism | Compare the student text with the source.
Source: Ji-li Jiang, "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution", page 6. Published by HarperCollins, 1997:
A Liberation Army soldier! One of the heroes admired by all, who helped Chairman Mao liberate China from oppression and defeated the Americans in Korea.
Student text:
The author views Liberation Army soldiers as "heroes admired by all, who helped Chairman Mao liberate China from oppression and defeated the Americans in Korea" (Jiang 6).
Is the student text plagiarized? | [
"No, it is not plagiarized.",
"Yes, because it fails to cite the source."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-2 | to-have-use-the-correct-form | Complete the sentence with the correct past tense form of to have.
Nancy ___ a drink of water before bed. | [
"has",
"have",
"had"
] | 2 |
language arts | grade-6 | which-sentence-is-more-formal | Which sentence is more formal? | [
"Construction is delayed because the lawyers haven't settled the property dispute.",
"Because the lawyers have not settled the property dispute, construction is delayed."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-6 | use-the-progressive-verb-tenses | Complete the sentence with the correct helping verb or verbs.
All afternoon yesterday, Brittany and Malik ___ planting seeds in their garden. | [
"were",
"will be"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-3 | use-adverbs-to-compare | Complete the sentence with the correct form of the adverb.
Of all the boys, Tommy spoke out ___ against the plan. | [
"more strongly",
"most strongly"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-8 | which-definition-matches-the-sentence | What does **minor** mean here?
We were quite pleased with our hotel except for one minor detail: the indoor pool was too cold. | [
"**minor** \"adjective\" not especially important",
"**minor** \"noun\" a person who is not legally an adult"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-6 | determine-the-authors-point-of-view | Read the text.
Have you noticed anything amiss when driving down Oak Street recently? Where are the oaks? The city has been busily and methodically removing the big, beautiful trees that have lined the street for decades. Some of these trees are more than a century old, predating many businesses along this lovely cobblestone thoroughfare.
Why are these magnificent trees being felled? Are they diseased or dying? Do they present a danger to people along the street? No, the disturbing reason the city gives for the tree removal is money: Apparently, the annual pruning and mulching needed to maintain the trees is too expensive. It's cheaper to just chop them down.
This short-sighted decision to destroy these majestic giants is disastrous for the character of the city. These long-lived trees could and should grace Oak Street for generations to come. Please go to the "Save the Oaks" website to find out how you can join the effort to halt this tree-mendous tragedy.
Which sentence best summarizes the author's point of view about the trees on Oak Street? | [
"The trees are beautiful, historic treasures, and the city should stop cutting them down.",
"The city should replace the diseased and dying trees with healthy ones that can live longer."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-5 | choose-reasons-to-support-an-opinion | Read the opinion below.
Keeping an aquarium at home is a bad idea.
Select the reason that best supports this opinion. | [
"Watching fish swim around in aquariums helps many people relax.",
"Aquariums need frequent cleaning to keep the fish healthy."
] | 1 |
language arts | pre-k | choose-the-lowercase-letter-that-matches-c-k-o-p-s-u-v-w-x-z | Pick the lowercase letter that matches.
P | [
"k",
"c",
"p"
] | 2 |
language arts | grade-5 | read-about-business-and-technology | Review the text.
title: Watching the Weather
What will the weather be like today, tomorrow, or even next week? Everyone wants to know! We can easily see what the weather is right now, but the weather changes constantly. That makes planning difficult. When is the best time to plant crops or plan a picnic? Should you carry an umbrella or pack a sweater? If only we could look down from high above Earth and see what weather is heading our way. Well, thanks to weather satellites, we can do just that. Every TV or online weather report gets much of its information from these powerful weather-watching tools.
People put satellites in orbit around Earth for many reasons, like sending phone and television signals. Like these other satellites, weather satellites are launched into space with powerful rockets. Weather satellites, though, are used to monitor conditions that affect the weather. They have instruments that measure heat, light, and water vapor in Earth's atmosphere and on the ground.
The first weather satellite, TIROS-1, was launched by the U.S. space agency, NASA, in 1960. It allowed weather scientists on the ground to see detailed pictures of moving clouds from high above. For the first time, scientists could track spinning hurricanes and other moving weather systems. While TIROS-1 was active for only about three months, today's weather satellites stay in space for years. They also provide lots of extra information, including air and sea temperatures, rainfall, wind speeds, presence of lightning, and air quality.
There are two types of weather satellites. Polar orbiting satellites orbit about five hundred miles above Earth in a path that goes over the North Pole and South Pole. These satellites "see" Earth spinning below and gather data from each place on Earth twice a day. While this is useful, twelve hours is a long time to wait for information about a particular place. Satellites that stay over one location on Earth can help fill in the gaps. These are called geostationary satellites.
Geostationary satellites orbit much higher than polar orbiting satellites, at over twenty-two thousand miles above Earth. They circle over the equator from west to east, traveling at the same speed as Earth spins. This means that from any one place on Earth, they appear to be stationary. They stay over the same area, providing nearly real-time data about what's happening there, with less than a minute's delay! However, only one part of the planet is visible. Different satellites are stationed above different parts of the world. For example, NASA's geostationary satellites, known as GOES satellites, look at most of the Western Hemisphere.
Using information from both polar orbiting and geostationary satellites allows weather scientists to get a clearer picture to help them predict the weather. As weather satellites improve, they are providing better information that can help us prepare for extreme weather events like tornadoes and hurricanes. Of course, they can help us pick out the right clothes to wear, too!
Which is the best summary of the text? | [
"Weather satellites gather information about temperatures, cloud patterns, and other conditions that could affect the weather. The first weather satellite was launched in 1960, and newer ones are much more advanced. Two types of satellites, polar orbiting and geostationary, help give a clearer idea of what the weather will be.",
"Weather satellites are very helpful for predicting the weather. The first weather satellite was TIROS-1, which was launched by NASA in 1960. Now NASA has more advanced satellites called GOES satellites. These satellites gather information over the Western Hemisphere.",
"Weather satellites that orbit Earth do many things at the same time. They help predict the weather, but they can also send phone and TV signals. There are two types of satellites, polar orbiting and geostationary. One type stays still, and the other moves fast, but both are very useful."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-5 | choose-between-personal-and-reflexive-pronouns | Select the best pronoun to complete the sentence.
After three hours, the programmed porch light turned ___ off for the night. | [
"itself",
"myself"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-3 | describe-the-difference-between-related-words | What is the difference between a city and a village? | [
"a village is louder",
"a city is larger"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-5 | use-the-progressive-verb-tenses | Complete the sentence with the correct helping verb.
Richard ___ paying for the tickets now, so we should be able to head into the concert soon. | [
"is",
"was"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-9 | is-it-a-phrase-or-a-clause | Is the group of words in bold a phrase or a clause?
**Natalie's suitcase was too large to fit in the overhead bin**, so unfortunately she had to check it. | [
"phrase",
"clause"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-5 | choose-between-adjectives-and-adverbs | Choose the word that best describes the verb in bold.
Richard and his companions ___ **left** before the end of the choir concert. | [
"regretful",
"regretfully"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-4 | identify-the-meaning-of-idioms-and-adages-set-1 | What is the meaning of **a picture is worth a thousand words**? | [
"images can often say more than language can",
"not everything that looks good actually is"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-11 | analyze-the-development-of-informational-passages-set-2 | Review the **second and third paragraphs**.
title: Language Acquisition
Almost all humans acquire at least one language before the age of five. Although people gain vocabulary throughout their lifetimes, even young children are able to understand and produce complex sentences with complicated meanings. How do children accomplish this remarkable feat in such a short amount of time? Do adults learn language differently from children? Linguistic researchers have long debated the answers to these questions, but most agree that both nature and nurture are involved in language acquisition. They disagree, however, about how much linguistic knowledge children have from birth—and thus whether genetics or experience is more important in language acquisition.
For many linguists, biological factors are the most important in language learning. Some argue that some linguistic knowledge must exist in our brains from birth because children cannot possibly encounter every feature of their language before the age of five. This argument, called the poverty of the stimulus, contends that children must have an innate language "device" to make up for their limited exposure. Indeed, these linguists point out that nearly all children can produce the same kinds of complex sentence structures by the age of five, even without having heard them before.
Many researchers have theorized what this innate linguistic knowledge must look like. One popular theory is universal grammar. This theory posits that all languages have the same basic structural foundation. That foundation is the innate knowledge universal to all humans. While children are not genetically predisposed to speak a particular language, a universal grammar gives them certain linguistic information as a starting point, which allows them to readily acquire the rules and patterns of whichever language they are exposed to.
Not all linguists, however, believe that an inborn capacity for language is the most important factor in language acquisition. These researchers place greater emphasis on the influence of usage and experience. They agree that there is an innate component that helps children acquire language; however, they argue that this component is not specific to language. Instead, it is part of humans' general ability to perceive and organize patterns in the world. These linguists argue that the poverty of the stimulus is a myth: children are exposed to a wealth of linguistic structures over the course of five years. From this input, children act in many ways like mini-statisticians. They gather data and determine language patterns and structures from what they have observed. They also hone in on a particular way of saying things because they have been exposed to that structure more than any other.
Linguists on both sides of the debate are still working to explain the different language learning capabilities of adults and children. Early childhood seems to be a critical period for mastering certain aspects of language, such as proper pronunciation—just ask a native English speaker struggling to roll Rs in high school Spanish. Children also tend to have a heightened ability, compared to adults, to learn second languages—especially in natural settings. While adults frequently learn to speak new languages proficiently and may even have some advantages when studying in a formal classroom, they usually do not learn as quickly and easily as children. Indeed, few adult language learners would be mistaken for native speakers of their non-native tongue. Are these varying capabilities a result of differences in how adults and children are exposed to a new language? Are they the result of biological changes that occur at the onset of puberty, or do both biology and experience come into play?
While our understanding of language acquisition is incomplete, this pursuit is well worth the effort. "We still don't understand how a child learns its first language, why some children have language disorders, or how children and adults learn a second language," explains Professor Joan Maling, "and we still don't understand what happens when a stroke or a disease such as Alzheimer's seems to wipe out a person's knowledge of language." Unraveling the process of language acquisition promises not only to help scientists answer these questions and countless others, but also to explain fundamental features of learning and the human brain.
Adapted from the National Science Foundation, "Language and Linguistics: Language Learning"
How do the second and third paragraphs work together? | [
"They present a general argument and then disprove a counterargument.",
"They present a specific theory and then propose a novel study to prove it.",
"They present a scientific debate and then discuss what all linguists agree on.",
"They present a general argument and then explain a specific theory."
] | 3 |
language arts | grade-7 | use-parallel-structure | Complete the sentence.
Stanley, who enjoys problem solving, ___, and has strong analytical skills, should consider a career in engineering. | [
"excels at math",
"math"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-12 | choose-the-analysis-that-logically-connects-the-evidence-to-the-claim | Read the claim and the supporting evidence.
**Claim:** Jacob is remarkably virtuous.
**Evidence:** Jacob is generous with his time.
Why does the evidence support the claim? Choose the **analysis** that better explains the connection. | [
"Jacob believes generosity need not involve money.",
"Generosity is a key virtue."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-8 | use-the-correct-homophone | Complete the sentence with the correct homophone.
Brendan mixed blue and red ___ to create a rich purple hue, which he used to color the white tablecloth. | [
"dye",
"die"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-8 | classify-figures-of-speech | Which figure of speech is used in this text?
I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger, and then suddenly **it hit me**. | [
"pun",
"verbal irony"
] | 0 |
social studies | grade-7 | southern-colonies-founding-and-government | Despite its early hardships, the colony of Virginia and its capital of Jamestown grew over time. As the colony grew, the colonists often tried to take the land of local native groups, such as the Powhatan. During the early 1600s, the Virginian colonists fought a series of wars against the Powhatan.
In 1622, the Powhatan attacked Jamestown and other colonial settlements. The following passage was written by a settler in the colony of Virginia and describes the English reaction to the attack. Read the passage. Then answer the question below.
The English [took] revenge by destroying with fire and sword everything of the Indians; they . . . destroyed both the houses and crops of the Indians, took [the Powhatan leader] prisoner and shot him on the very place where his house stood before it was burned down. On this spot the English then built a new town.
Unknown author, Voyage of Anthony Chester. Charles Edward Bishop, translator, "Two Tragical Events." Copyright 1901 by William and Mary Quarterly. Based on Peter Vander Aa, translator, 1707.
Based on this passage, which of the following statements is true about the wars between Virginia and the Powhatan? | [
"The wars ended with both sides returning each other's land.",
"The wars ended with the defeat of the Virginian colonists.",
"The wars ended without harm to the Powhatan leader.",
"The wars included the destruction of homes and crops."
] | 3 |
language arts | grade-7 | use-context-to-identify-the-meaning-of-a-word | Read the passage and then answer the question.
Symbiotic relationships, which occur when one organism is dependent on another organism for survival, are typically categorized into three different types of relationships: parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism. In each of these relationships, the organisms involved are benefited or harmed in different ways.
Parasitic relationships are often the most familiar types of symbiotic relationships. A common example is a flea living on a dog. In cases like these, the parasite gains a viable habitat to support its life cycle, while the **host** is harmed.
In a mutualistic relationship, on the other hand, both organisms in the relationship are better off because of their arrangement; that is, they benefit mutually from their interactions. For example, lichen is composed of two organisms, an alga and a fungus. The fungus acts like a sponge, holding on to water that the alga needs. At the same time, the alga is constantly converting sunlight into energy, so the fungus, which cannot perform this function for itself, benefits from a reliable energy source. Lichen is, in turn, engaged in a commensalistic relationship with the tree that it grows on. In a commensalistic relationship, one organism benefits and the other organism neither benefits nor suffers. The tree provides lichen with a place to grow, but the tree is unaffected.
What is the meaning of **host** as used in the passage? | [
"an organism that another organism lives on",
"an organism that is not native to a particular area",
"an organism that lives in or on another organism",
"an organism that relies on the sun for food"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-8 | interpret-the-meaning-of-an-allusion-from-its-source | Read the source of the allusion.
The comic book superhero Spider-Man possesses a spidey sense that warns him of impending trouble.
What is the meaning of the allusion in the sentence below? | [
"an urge to return home",
"a sense of danger coming"
] | 1 |
language arts | pre-k | choose-the-uppercase-letter-that-matches-f-i-j-l-m-t-y | Pick the uppercase letter that matches.
t | [
"E",
"G",
"T"
] | 2 |
language arts | grade-8 | which-sentence-matches-the-definition | Which piece of text uses this meaning of **subject**?
**subject** "noun" an area of knowledge or research that is studied | [
"Brennan sang loudly in the kitchen, unaware that Pamela was standing behind him. When he turned around and saw her, he exclaimed, \"Sorry, I didn't mean to subject you to my horrible singing.\"",
"Although Pamela does well in math and science, history has always been her favorite subject."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-3 | which-sentence-has-the-same-meaning | Which sentence has the same meaning?
Grace will **smile** when I tell her what happened to me yesterday. | [
"Grace will **grin** when I tell her what happened to me yesterday.",
"Grace will **clap** when I tell her what happened to me yesterday."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-4 | distinguish-characters-points-of-view | The following texts are both about talking in the library.
This text is told from the point of view of Mr. Monroe, a library visitor:
I waved to the librarian as I entered the peaceful silence of the library. I looked through the new magazines and newspapers, careful not to disturb the other visitors. I settled into my favorite chair and quietly thumbed through the latest copy of my favorite magazine.
This text is told from the point of view of Ed, another library visitor:
My new book was just too funny. I couldn't stop laughing. I turned to my friend to show him what I'd read, but the librarian told me to shush. When she looked away, I started telling him about the book again. This time the librarian walked over and told us to take our chatter outside.
How is Ed's point of view different from Mr. Monroe's? | [
"Ed views the library as a place to talk with friends.",
"Ed gives reasons why talking in the library is bad."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-3 | use-adverbs-to-compare | Complete the sentence with the correct form of the adverb.
Whitney sang ___ than Marco in the class play. | [
"louder",
"loudest"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-5 | is-the-sentence-simple-or-compound | Which is a **compound sentence**? | [
"Grandma kisses me on the head, or she pinches my cheek.",
"Bison once roamed freely across the Great Plains of the United States."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-5 | revise-the-sentence-using-a-stronger-verb | Read the sentence.
When Rose found her lost dog, she clutched him to her chest and began **crying**.
Now, revise the sentence to show that Rose was crying **noisily**.
When Rose found her lost dog, she clutched him to her chest and began ___. | [
"tearing up",
"sniffling",
"bawling"
] | 2 |
language arts | grade-9 | use-context-as-a-clue-to-the-meanings-of-foreign-expressions | What is the meaning of the foreign expression in bold?
"I don't care for the assortment of fish in the seafood platter, so I'd like to order just the salmon, **à la carte**, please," Amy told the waiter. | [
"paid for by cash, rather than by check or credit card",
"paid for bundled together, rather than separately",
"paid for in advance, rather than after consumption",
"paid for individually, rather than bundled with other items"
] | 3 |
language arts | grade-10 | classify-figures-of-speech-euphemism-hyperbole-oxymoron-paradox | Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Emilio returned to the parking lot to find his car **somewhat destroyed**. Apparently someone had crashed into it while he was working and had broken the entire front windshield. | [
"euphemism",
"oxymoron"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-6 | classify-figures-of-speech | Which figure of speech is used in this text?
During much of the twentieth century, artistic types were **a dime a dozen** in Greenwich Village. | [
"personification",
"idiom"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-3 | pronoun-verb-agreement | Complete the sentence with the best **subject pronoun**.
___ drag the box into the attic. | [
"They",
"She"
] | 0 |
social studies | grade-5 | understand-overall-supply-and-demand | The city of Livingston has been one of the world's biggest makers of cough drops for many years. But last month, Livingston's cough drop factories were destroyed by floods. What will probably happen to the overall supply of cough drops? | [
"The supply will probably go up.",
"The supply will probably go down."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-12 | transition-logically-between-claims-evidence-analysis-and-counterclaims | Complete the text with the transition that best connects **the supporting evidence to analysis of that evidence**.
Anti-smoking television ads targeted at teens appear to be effective. For example, Rose, a current student at Arlington High School, says that when she was recently offered a cigarette, she declined not because of a fear of lung cancer or other health consequences, but because she remembered an ad about how tobacco stains teeth. ___, ads that emphasize the dangers smoking poses to appearance or social status are especially likely to resonate with teenagers. | [
"Apparently",
"Regardless",
"More importantly"
] | 0 |
social studies | grade-5 | understand-overall-supply-and-demand | Last year, there were seven men's clothing stores on Main Street in Sparrowtown. This year, there are only three. What probably happened to the overall supply of men's shirts in Sparrowtown? | [
"The supply probably went up.",
"The supply probably went down."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-6 | analyze-passages-from-harriet-tubman-conductor-on-the-underground-railroad-part-2 | [Harriet] remembered how she had dreamed of living in Philadelphia with John Tubman. She wanted to plead with him. Then she knew a moment of anger and wanted to shout at them because she felt they had cheated her out of her dream, defrauded her. She hated this young woman who was now leaning against John, the look of puzzlement now replaced by disdain.
She thought, If only she had been wearing fine clothes, silk or satin instead of the torn shabby suit. Not silk or velvet, just a simple calico dress, a dress that would have immediately revealed that she was a woman. Then she shook her head. How could she sleep on the ground in a dress, climb in and out of a potato hole in long skirts? Besides, clothes did not change a person, did not really matter. Love and devotion should not depend on the kind of clothes one wore. A man's suit or a woman's dress would not have made one whit of difference. Neither the one nor the other could alter or change the kind of person that she was. Her mind, her soul, would always wear freedom's clothes. John's never would.
And yet—"I came back for you, John," she said again.
John and the woman laughed. Harriet stood there for a moment, wanting to cry. She thought of the long way she had come, of the money she had earned doing the housework that she hated, remembered how for months she had condemned him in her mind as worthless, and how that judgment had been softened by time, until she had remembered only the good in him, re-experiencing in retrospect the moments of warmth, of understanding, remembering how she had made the colorful quilt, dreaming about him like any young engaged girl. When she made the quilt, she was transformed. The field hand felling trees, cutting half a cord of wood a day, lifting barrels of flour, pulling loaded boats along the edge of the river like a horse, had been turned into a girl in love, melting with tenderness.
Even now she found it impossible to hate him. She was too much in love with him. But there was an emptiness, vast, unfillable, inside of her. It would stay with her forever.
Adapted from Ann Petry, Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad. Copyright 1955 by Ann Petry
What is this passage mainly about? | [
"It is about Harriet's plan to recruit John to work for the Underground Railroad.",
"It is about Harret's decision to move back to the South in order to be with John.",
"It is about Harriet's feelings when she sees John again after many months apart."
] | 2 |
social studies | grade-2 | thurgood-marshall | Complete the sentence.
When Thurgood Marshall was a lawyer, he won the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. This case made ___ illegal. | [
"segregated public schools",
"private schools",
"charter schools",
"school uniforms"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-3 | greetings-and-closings-of-letters | Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"Sincerely,\nMona",
"sincerely,\nMona"
] | 0 |
language arts | kindergarten | choose-the-lowercase-letter-that-matches-a-b-d-e-g-h-n-q-r | Pick the lowercase letter that matches.
Q | [
"q",
"e"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-8 | is-the-sentence-declarative-interrogative-imperative-or-exclamatory | What kind of sentence is this?
Which presidential candidate do you think won the debate last night? | [
"interrogative",
"exclamatory",
"imperative"
] | 0 |
social studies | grade-2 | george-washington-carver | What was the main crop George Washington Carver studied? | [
"wheat",
"peanuts",
"cotton",
"corn"
] | 1 |
social studies | grade-2 | federal-government | Who can vote for the president of the United States? | [
"American citizens",
"leaders of other countries",
"anyone who lives in the United States"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-5 | use-greek-and-latin-roots-as-clues-to-the-meanings-of-words | The root **astro** means "star". What does the word **astronomy** mean? | [
"the branch of science that studies sound and hearing",
"the branch of science that studies rocks and minerals",
"the branch of science that studies stars and other objects in space"
] | 2 |
language arts | grade-3 | choose-topic-sentences-for-expository-paragraphs | Read the paragraph. Then, add the better topic sentence.
___ While her husband was the president, Eleanor Roosevelt traveled across the country to see how people were doing. Then, she told her husband what people needed. During a war, Roosevelt helped care for American soldiers. Later, she continued to work to make sure that all people around the world were treated fairly. People remember Roosevelt as a strong woman who helped a lot of people. | [
"First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt planned dinners and parties for important people.",
"First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt worked hard to make life better for people."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-12 | interpret-the-figure-of-speech | What does the **metaphor** in this text suggest?
All religions, arts, and sciences are branches of the same tree.
—Albert Einstein | [
"All religions, arts, and sciences have something to do with nature.",
"All religions, arts, and sciences are related."
] | 1 |
social studies | grade-2 | local-government | Houston is a city in Texas. If the Houston city government passes a law, who must follow that law? | [
"all the people in Houston",
"all the people in Texas",
"all the people in the United States"
] | 0 |
social studies | grade-5 | costs-and-benefits | Ben is deciding whether to see the flamingos or the zebras at the zoo. He wants to see lots of animals, but the zoo is closing soon.
Suppose Ben decides to see the zebras. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Ben will give up the chance to see the flamingos. He would have enjoyed seeing them more than the zebras.",
"Ben will save some time. The zebras are close by, but he would have had to walk to the the other side of the zoo to see the flamingos."
] | 0 |
social studies | grade-2 | compare-urban-suburban-and-rural-areas | Which kind of place usually has less traffic? | [
"an urban area",
"a rural area"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-3 | use-adverbs-to-compare | Complete the sentence with the correct form of the adverb.
Scott comes up with jokes the ___ of all the boys. | [
"more easily",
"most easily"
] | 1 |
social studies | grade-4 | costs-and-benefits | Pablo is deciding whether to watch a comedy or an action movie. He would prefer to watch a comedy. But he also wants to watch a movie with his sister. Pablo's sister will only watch an action movie.
Suppose Pablo decides to watch the comedy. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Pablo will give up the chance to watch a movie with his sister.",
"Pablo will get to watch the movie that he is more excited about."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-11 | analogies | Complete the analogy.
bacterium is to disease as slumber is to | [
"yawning",
"rejuvenation",
"exhaustion"
] | 1 |
social studies | grade-2 | lunar-new-year | The dates below are from the Gregorian calendar. They show the first day of the Chinese lunar year in four different years.
February 16, 2018
February 5, 2019
January 25, 2020
February 12, 2021
On the Gregorian calendar, when does the Chinese lunar year start? | [
"on January 1 each year",
"on a different date each year",
"on a day in February each year"
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-4 | to-have-use-the-correct-form | Complete the sentence with the correct present tense form of to have.
Alvin, Ian, and Shane ___ heard that song before. | [
"have",
"had",
"has"
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-5 | use-academic-vocabulary-in-context | The word phenomenon means "something unusual or remarkable." Which of these would probably be considered a phenomenon? | [
"an adult deciding to become a teacher",
"a teenager earning money from babysitting",
"a young child starting a successful business"
] | 2 |
language arts | grade-3 | identify-the-irregular-past-tense-ii | Which sentence is in the past tense? | [
"My dad **knows** Mrs. Underwood.",
"My dad **knew** Mrs. Underwood."
] | 1 |
language arts | grade-8 | which-sentence-matches-the-definition | Which piece of text uses this meaning of **subject**?
**subject** "verb" to force another person to undergo some experience | [
"Marco sang loudly in the kitchen, unaware that Bonnie was standing behind him. When he turned around and saw her, he exclaimed, \"Sorry, I didn't mean to subject you to my horrible singing.\"",
"Although Bonnie does well in math and science, history has always been her favorite subject."
] | 0 |
language arts | grade-12 | use-words-accurately-and-precisely | Complete the text with the better word.
The ___ of freshly baked bread tempted Marie as she entered the bakery. | [
"stench",
"aroma"
] | 1 |
Subsets and Splits