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Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Animals don't shampoo their fur, so it can't be good for you to shampoo your hair. | [
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good",
"bandwagon fallacy: the assumption that the popular choice is automatically correct",
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | 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 shampoo is not OK because animals don't use it. However, something isn't necessarily bad simply because it's not something animals use. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as an appeal to nature. |
|
Suppose Juan decides to bake coffee cake muffins. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Juan will get to eat more muffins. He can make more coffee cake muffins than apple muffins.",
"Juan will give up the chance to eat apple muffins. He thinks apple muffins are tastier than coffee cake muffins."
] | 1 | Juan is deciding whether to bake apple muffins or coffee cake muffins. He wants the muffins to be tasty. But he also wants to make a lot of muffins. | closed choice | grade5 | social science | economics | Basic economic principles | Costs and benefits | Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need. | This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Juan wants or needs:
Juan will give up the chance to eat apple muffins. He thinks apple muffins are tastier than coffee cake muffins. |
Which important period in American history began in 1929? | [
"World War II",
"the Civil War",
"the Great Depression",
"the civil rights movement"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | social science | us-history | 20th century American history | The New Deal | The Great Depression began in 1929 when the stock market crashed.
A depression is a long period of time when the economy does much worse than usual. During a depression, businesses close, people lose their jobs, and life becomes harder. The Great Depression lasted for more than a decade. |
||
What do these two changes have in common?
a puddle freezing into ice on a cold night
water freezing into ice | [
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"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.
A puddle freezing into ice on a cold night is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. Liquid water freezes and becomes solid, but it is still made of water. A different type of matter is not formed.
Water freezing into ice is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. The water changes from solid to liquid. But the ice is still made of the same type of matter as the liquid water.
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. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Although Robert hasn't worked in years, his mother prefers to say that he's between jobs right now. | [
"oxymoron",
"euphemism"
] | 1 | 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 a euphemism, a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
Between jobs is an indirect way of saying unemployed. |
|
Which is a complete sentence? | [
"She slides into first base.",
"The people march through the streets, they want to be heard."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on? | A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. It has both a subject and a verb.
My friends walk along the path.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It is usually missing a subject or a verb.
Knows the answer.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a subject.
Who knows the answer? She knows the answer.
The bright red car.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a verb.
What did the bright red car do? The bright red car stopped.
A run-on sentence is made up of two sentences that are joined without end punctuation or with just a comma.
I knocked on the door it opened.
It started raining, we ran inside.
To fix a run-on sentence, separate it into two sentences. Add end punctuation after the first sentence, and capitalize the second sentence.
I knocked on the door. It opened.
It started raining. We ran inside.
You can also fix a run-on sentence by rewriting it as a compound sentence. A compound sentence is two sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
I knocked on the door, and it opened.
It started raining, so we ran inside. | She slides into first base is a complete sentence. The subject is she, and the verb is slides. |
|
Compare the motion of two geese. Which goose was moving at a higher speed? | [
"a goose that moved 625miles in 10hours",
"a goose that moved 550miles 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 goose moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One goose moved 625 miles in 10 hours.
The other goose moved 550 miles in 10 hours.
Notice that each goose spent the same amount of time moving. The goose that moved 625 miles moved a farther distance in that time. So, that goose must have moved at a higher speed. |
|
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"The Wright brothers successfully flew a plane for the first time in 1903.",
"The airplane was the most exciting invention of the 20th century."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | social science | civics | Social studies skills | Identify facts and opinions | A fact is something that can be proved true by research or observation.
George Washington became president of the United States in 1789.
This statement is a fact. It can be proved by researching what year George Washington was inaugurated president.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion can be supported by evidence, but it cannot be proved true.
George Washington was a better president than Thomas Jefferson.
This statement is an opinion. People can have different ideas about what makes someone a "better" president, so the statement cannot be proved. | The second sentence states a fact.
The Wright brothers successfully flew a plane for the first time in 1903.
It can be proved by reading a biography of the Wright brothers.
The first sentence states an opinion.
The airplane was the most exciting invention of the 20 th century.
Most exciting shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about what makes an invention exciting. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Clayton 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 Clayton 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 | grade7 | 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 logical fallacy is used in the text?
Senator Lowery announced today that she plans to cut funding to early childhood education programs. The last thing we need is a government official who hates children! | [
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against",
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | 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 Senator Lowery hates children, because she wants to cut education funding. However, the fact that Senator Lowery wants to cut education funding doesn't necessarily suggest that she hates children. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as a straw man. |
|
How long does it take to drink a small glass of water? | [
"60 seconds",
"60 minutes"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose units of time | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that the bus leaves in 7. You might be thinking, 7 what? Does the bus leave in 7 minutes? 7 seconds?
The number 7 on its own does not give you much information about when the bus is leaving. That is because the units are missing.
Time is usually measured in units of seconds, minutes, or hours. It takes about 1 second to sneeze and 1 minute to get dressed in the morning. It takes about 1 hour to bake a pie in the oven.
There are 60 seconds in 1 minute. So, 1 second is much less than 1 minute.
There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. So, 1 minute is much less than 1 hour. | The better estimate for how long it takes to drink a small glass of water is 60 seconds.
60 minutes is too slow. |
What information supports the conclusion that Hugo inherited this trait? | [
"Hugo's biological father wears contacts in his hazel eyes.",
"Hugo wears glasses and so do his sisters.",
"Hugo's friend also has hazel eyes."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Hugo has hazel eyes. | 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. | |
Complete the sentence.
Milk going sour is a (). | [
"chemical change",
"physical change"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Identify physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
Cutting a piece of paper is a physical change. The cut pieces are still made of paper.
A change of state is a type of physical change. For example, ice melting is a physical change. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water. | Milk going sour is a chemical change. The type of matter in the milk slowly changes. The new matter that is formed gives the milk its sour taste. |
|
Based on this information, what is Clyde's phenotype for the Tobiano patterning trait? | [
"having Tobiano patterning",
"not having Tobiano patterning"
] | 1 | This passage describes the Tobiano patterning trait in horses:
In a group of horses, some individuals have Tobiano patterning and others do not. In this group, the gene for the Tobiano patterning trait has two alleles. The allele for having Tobiano patterning (B) is dominant over the allele for not having Tobiano patterning (b).
Clyde is a horse from this group. Clyde has the homozygous genotype bb for the Tobiano patterning gene. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Clyde's genotype for the Tobiano patterning gene is bb. Clyde's genotype of bb has only b alleles. The b allele is for not having Tobiano patterning. So, Clyde's phenotype for the Tobiano patterning trait must be not having Tobiano patterning.
To check this answer, consider whether Clyde's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for having Tobiano patterning (B) is dominant over the allele for not having Tobiano patterning (b). This means B is a dominant allele, and b is a recessive allele.
Clyde's genotype of bb has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, Clyde's phenotype for the Tobiano patterning trait must be not having Tobiano patterning. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
dairy - dog | [
"distance",
"drop"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since distance is between the guide words dairy - dog, it would be found on that page. |
|
How long does it take to make a sandwich? | [
"3 seconds",
"3 minutes"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose units of time | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that the bus leaves in 7. You might be thinking, 7 what? Does the bus leave in 7 minutes? 7 seconds?
The number 7 on its own does not give you much information about when the bus is leaving. That is because the units are missing.
Time is usually measured in units of seconds, minutes, or hours. It takes about 1 second to sneeze and 1 minute to get dressed in the morning. It takes about 1 hour to bake a pie in the oven.
There are 60 seconds in 1 minute. So, 1 second is much less than 1 minute.
There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. So, 1 minute is much less than 1 hour. | The better estimate for how long it takes to make a sandwich is 3 minutes.
3 seconds is too fast. |
Which sentence uses a simile? | [
"Keith's eyes are bright green emeralds.",
"Keith's eyes are as green as emeralds."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Identify similes and metaphors | Similes and metaphors are figures of speech that compare two things that are not actually alike.
A simile compares two things by saying that one is like the other. Similes often use the words like and as.
My sister runs like a cheetah.
The sister's running and a cheetah's running are compared using the word like.
A cheetah is known for running fast, so the simile means that the sister also runs fast.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
The cat's fur and the night are compared using the word as.
The night is dark, so the simile means that the cat's fur is also dark.
A metaphor compares two things by saying that one of them is the other. Unlike similes, metaphors don't use the word like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
The snow and a blanket are compared without the word like or as.
A blanket is a large piece of cloth that completely covers a bed. The metaphor makes the reader imagine that the snow becomes a blanket, covering the town completely.
Using similes and metaphors in your writing can help you create an interesting picture for the reader. | This sentence uses a simile:
Keith's eyes are as green as emeralds.
The words eyes and emeralds are compared using the word as.
This sentence uses a metaphor:
Keith's eyes are bright green emeralds.
The words eyes and emeralds are compared without the word like or as. |
|
How long is a walk across Central Park in New York City? | [
"2 feet",
"2 miles",
"2 inches"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of distance | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
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 walk across Central Park in New York City is 2 miles.
2 inches and 2 feet are both too short. |
Which tense does the sentence use?
I will play the fiddle for my family. | [
"future tense",
"past tense",
"present tense"
] | 0 | 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 future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, play. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Martin inherited this trait? | [
"Martin likes to wear a blue sweater to match his blue eyes.",
"Martin's mother has blue eyes. She passed this trait down to Martin."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Martin has blue eyes. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
Select the temperature shown by this thermometer. | [
"30°C",
"15°C",
"50°C"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Weather and climate | Read a thermometer | A thermometer is a tool that measures temperature. Temperature can be measured in degrees. The symbol for degrees is °.
Some thermometers measure temperature in degrees Celsius (°C). Celsius is one scale used to measure temperature.
This is a tube thermometer. It has a tube filled with a red liquid.
There is a Celsius scale along the right side of the tube. The top of the red liquid lines up with the number 30 on the scale. So, the temperature shown by this thermometer is 30°C. | Find the top of the red liquid.
Now look at the scale to the right. The top of the red liquid lines up with 30. So, the temperature is 30°C. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a book? | [
"green Eggs and ham",
"Green Eggs and Ham"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | capitalization | Formatting | Capitalizing titles | In a title, capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between.
The Wind in the Willows James and the Giant Peach
These words are not important in titles:
Articles, a, an, the
Short prepositions, such as at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up
Coordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, or | Capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between. The word and is not important, so it should not be capitalized.
The correct title is Green Eggs and Ham. |
|
What does the verbal irony in this text suggest?
While waiting for her search results, Lily exclaimed, "My Internet connection is as speedy as a snail!" | [
"The Internet connection was very slow.",
"The Internet connection was very fast."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
As speedy as a snail suggests that the Internet connection was very slow. A snail is not speedy, and neither was Lily's Internet connection. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Sebastian inherited this trait? | [
"Sebastian's mother cuts his hair every month.",
"Sebastian's parents have blond hair. They passed down this trait to Sebastian."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Sebastian has blond 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. | |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
tin - truth | [
"toast",
"tent"
] | 0 | closed choice | 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 toast is between the guide words tin - truth, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which text uses the word nauseous in its traditional sense? | [
"Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but Rafi found the smell rather nauseous.",
"Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but it made Rafi feel rather nauseous."
] | 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 second text uses nauseous in its traditional sense: causing disgust or nausea.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but Rafi found the smell rather nauseous.
The first text uses nauseous in its nontraditional sense: feeling disgusted or nauseated.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but it made Rafi feel rather nauseous.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word nauseous because it is considered more standard. |
|
Select the temperate deciduous forest ecosystem. | [
"This ecosystem has:\nlong, cold winters and short, cool summers\nmany evergreen trees\nsoil that is poor in nutrients",
"This ecosystem has:\nyear-round rain and warm temperatures\nsoil that is poor in nutrients\nmany different types of organisms",
"This ecosystem has:\nwarm, wet summers and cold, wet winters\nsoil that is rich in nutrients\nonly a few types of trees"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade7 | 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 terrestrial, or land-based, ecosystems. Here are some ways in which terrestrial ecosystems can differ from each other:
the pattern of weather, or climate
the type of soil
the organisms that live there | A temperate deciduous forest is a type of ecosystem. It has warm, wet summers and cold, wet winters, soil that is rich in nutrients, and only a few types of trees.
Choice 1 is a temperate deciduous forest ecosystem. It has warm, wet summers and cold, wet winters.
Choice 2 is a taiga ecosystem. It has many evergreen trees. It also has long, cold winters and short, cool summers.
Choice 3 is a tropical rain forest ecosystem. It has year-round rain and soil that is poor in nutrients. |
|
How long is a tennis racket? | [
"24 feet",
"24 inches",
"24 yards"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of distance | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
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 tennis racket is 24 inches.
24 feet and 24 yards are both too long. |
Based on this information, what is Winnee's phenotype for the wool color trait? | [
"white wool",
"black wool"
] | 1 | In a group of sheep, some individuals have white wool and others have black wool. In this group, the gene for the wool color trait has two alleles. The allele for black wool (l) is recessive to the allele for white wool (L).
Winnee is a sheep from this group. Winnee has the homozygous genotype ll for the wool color gene. | closed choice | grade7 | 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. | Winnee's genotype for the wool color gene is ll. Winnee's genotype of ll has only l alleles. The l allele is for black wool. So, Winnee's phenotype for the wool color trait must be black wool.
To check this answer, consider whether Winnee's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for black wool (l) is recessive to the allele for white wool (L). This means L is a dominant allele, and l is a recessive allele.
Winnee's genotype of ll has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, Winnee's phenotype for the wool color trait must be black wool. |
Which object has the least thermal energy? | [
"a blueberry muffin at a temperature of 39°C",
"a blueberry muffin at a temperature of 23°C",
"a blueberry muffin at a temperature of 38°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 blueberry muffins have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 23°C muffin is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy. |
Which graduation announcement is more formal? | [
"Fred Levin is graduating, and we couldn't be more proud!",
"We are proud to announce the graduation of Fred Levin."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | 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 graduation announcement is more formal. It uses more ceremonious language (proud to announce). The other graduation announcement uses more conversational language (we couldn't be more proud!). |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Naomi investigate with an experiment? | [
"Does the basketball bounce higher on gravel or on grass?",
"Do larger basketballs bounce higher than smaller basketballs on a brick patio?",
"Does the basketball bounce higher on a lawn or on a dirt path?"
] | 0 | Naomi gets a basketball for her birthday and dribbles it around her neighborhood. She notices that sometimes the ball bounces higher than other times. She wonders what factors affect how high her ball bounces. So, she decides to design an experiment. She has the following supplies available:
one basketball
access to a brick patio
access to a grassy lawn
access to a gravel driveway
a meterstick | 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! | |
What does the euphemism in this text suggest?
The Carlson family donated a number of gently loved books and toys to a local shelter. | [
"The items were precious.",
"The items were not new."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | 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.
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. | The text uses a euphemism, a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The euphemism gently loved means the items were not new. Gently loved is a nicer way of referring to used items. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
mixing chocolate syrup into milk
butter melting on a hot day | [
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are caused by cooling."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Mixing chocolate syrup into milk is a physical change. The chocolate syrup and milk make a mixture. Making a mixture does not form a different type of matter.
Butter melting on a hot day is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. The butter changes from solid to liquid, but it is still made of the same type of matter.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. No new matter is created.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. They are not chemical changes.
Both are caused by heating.
Butter melting on a hot day is caused by heating. But mixing chocolate syrup into milk is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"I don't believe in superstitions, but my mother takes them quite seriously.",
"He showed the officers a hotel receipt and an airplane ticket as proof of his time in Buenos Aires."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The second sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction but.
I don't believe in superstitions, but my mother takes them quite seriously. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Xavier's definitely voting for the Conservative Party in the next election because he said there was no way he was voting for the Labour Party. | [
"slippery slope fallacy: the false assumption that a small first step will lead to extreme consequences",
"false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist",
"false causation: the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | 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 Xavier is voting either for the candidate from the Conservative Party or the Labour Party. However, Xavier might be voting for a third party—or he might not be voting at all. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as a false dichotomy. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
breaking a piece of glass
dew appearing on grass in the morning | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are caused by cooling."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Breaking a piece of glass is a physical change. The glass gets broken into pieces. But each piece is still made of the same type of matter.
Dew appearing on grass in the morning is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. Water vapor in the air touches the cool grass and becomes liquid.
The water vapor changes state to become dew, but it is still 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.
Dew appears when water vapor in the air condenses into a liquid on the grass. This is caused by cooling. But breaking a piece of glass is not. |
|
Which change best matches the sentence?
Flowing water carries away sand and mud. | [
"wildfire",
"erosion",
"volcanic eruption"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | earth-science | Earth events | Classify changes to Earth's surface I | |||
What does the metaphor in this text suggest?
When Trevor lost his job, he was devastated. The only light in the sea of darkness was the prospect of pursuing a new career. | [
"Trevor felt in the dark about what to do after losing his job.",
"There was a benefit to Trevor's job loss."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | 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.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town. | The text uses a metaphor, comparing two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The metaphor the only light in the sea of darkness was the prospect of pursuing a new career suggests that there was a benefit to Trevor's job loss. A light would be beneficial in helping someone escape a dark, difficult-to-navigate situation. Similarly, Trevor's new career was beneficial in helping him escape the emotionally difficult experience of losing his job. |
|
Which sentence is more formal? | [
"Most of the apartments in New York City's Upper West Side are extremely expensive.",
"Most of the apartments in New York City's Upper West Side cost an arm and a leg."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | writing-strategies | Author's purpose and tone | Which sentence is more formal? | Formal writing is used for essays, business letters, and reports. The following types of informal language should be avoided in formal writing:
Type | Examples
slang | cool, awesome
idioms | knock your socks off
conversational language | gonna, kinda, yeah
abbreviated language | ASAP, FYI
overly simple or imprecise language | he got some stuff at the store
contractions | can't, won't
Contractions are not as informal as the other types, but they should be used sparingly in formal writing.
Compare the following sentences. The first is informal. The second is formal.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but they're awesome runners.
Formal: Though ostriches are flightless, they are remarkably adept runners.
| The first sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses an idiom (cost an arm and a leg).
The second sentence uses formal language in place of the idiom, so it is more formal overall. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Wyatt acquired this trait? | [
"Wyatt was not born knowing how to identify different fish. He had to learn this skill.",
"Wyatt has two pet fish. The fish live in a fish tank together."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Wyatt is good at identifying fish. | 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. | |
Which excerpt from a lab report is more formal? | [
"This experiment focused on the energy requirements of the human body.",
"This is an experiment where we looked at how the body needs lots of energy."
] | 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 excerpt from a lab report is more formal. It uses more elevated language (focused on, energy requirements, human body). The other excerpt uses more imprecise language (lots) and sounds more casual (we looked at how). |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"For many sitcoms, sound engineers use a laugh track to simulate the laughter of a live studio audience.",
"For many sitcoms, they use a laugh track to simulate the laughter of a live studio audience."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The first answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun they is used without its antecedent.
The second answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. They has been replaced with sound engineers.
For many sitcoms, sound engineers use a laugh track to simulate the laughter of a live studio audience. |
|
Complete the statement.
Sulfur dioxide is (). | [
"an elementary substance",
"a compound"
] | 1 | Sulfur dioxide is a poisonous gas that is released into the atmosphere when volcanoes erupt. The chemical formula for sulfur dioxide is SO2. | 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 sulfur dioxide 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 sulfur dioxide is SO2. This formula contains two symbols: S for sulfur and O for oxygen. So, the formula tells you that sulfur dioxide is made of two chemical elements bonded together.
Substances made of two or more chemical elements bonded together are compounds. So, sulfur dioxide is a compound. |
Based on this information, what is this pea plant's phenotype for the pea color trait? | [
"Ee",
"yellow peas"
] | 1 | In a group of pea plants, some individuals have yellow peas and others have green peas. In this group, the gene for the pea color trait has two alleles. The allele E is for yellow peas, and the allele e is for green peas.
A certain pea plant from this group has yellow peas. This plant has one allele for yellow peas and one allele for green peas. | closed choice | grade8 | 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. The pea plant's observable version of the pea color trait is yellow peas. So, the plant's phenotype for the pea color trait is yellow peas. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
ceiling - conquer | [
"crust",
"chop"
] | 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 chop is between the guide words ceiling - conquer, it would be found on that page. |
|
Is a pair of shoes a good or a service? | [
"a good",
"a service"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | social science | economics | Economics | Goods and services | Everything you can buy is either a good or a service.
A good is something you can touch or hold in your hands. For example, a hammer is a good.
A service is a job you pay someone else to do. For example, cooking food in a restaurant is a service. | To decide whether a pair of shoes is a good or a service, ask these questions:
Is a pair of shoes something you can touch? Yes.
Is a pair of shoes a job you might pay someone else to do? No.
So, a pair of shoes is a good. |
|
From Whitman's account, what probably happened at the battle? | [
"The Union army fought the Confederate army to a tie.",
"The Union army was defeated and forced to retreat.",
"The Union army won the battle and took Manassas Junction.",
"The Confederate army had burned down the Long Bridge."
] | 1 | In June 1861, the Union army marched south from Washington, D.C., into Virginia. Its goal was to seize Manassas Junction, an important railroad center.
The following passage is the memory of Walt Whitman, who was living in Washington, D.C., at the time. Use it to answer the question below.
The defeated troops [started] pouring into Washington over the Long Bridge at daylight on Monday, 22nd July . . . all the men with this coating of sweat and rain, now recoiling back, pouring over the Long Bridge — a horrible march of twenty miles, returning to Washington baffled, humiliated, panic-struck. | closed choice | grade4 | social science | us-history | The Civil War and Reconstruction | The Civil War: the First Battle of Bull Run to Gettysburg | Look at the underlined sentences from the passage.
The defeated troops [started] pouring into Washington over the Long Bridge at daylight on Monday, 22 nd July . . . all the men with this coating of sweat and rain, now recoiling back, pouring over the Long Bridge — a horrible march of twenty miles, returning to Washington baffled, humiliated, panic-struck.
Remember that Walt Whitman was writing about the Union army. Whitman uses words such as "defeated," "humiliated," and "panic-struck" to describe the returning Union soldiers. The Union army was defeated and forced to retreat. |
|
What is the volume of a bathtub? | [
"90 fluid ounces",
"90 gallons",
"90 cups"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using customary units, volume may be written in units of fluid ounces, cups, or gallons.
As the diagram shows, there are 8 fluid ounces in 1 cup and 16 cups in 1 gallon. So, 1 fluid ounce is less than 1 cup and much less than 1 gallon.
A glass of milk has a volume of about 8 fluid ounces, or 1 cup. A jug of milk has a volume of 1 gallon. | The best estimate for the volume of a bathtub is 90 gallons.
90 fluid ounces and 90 cups are both too little. |
Select the plant. | [
"Loons walk, fly, and swim.",
"Magnolia trees have many leaves."
] | 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 loon is an animal. It walks, flies, and swims.
A loon is a bird. Loons live near lakes and dive in the water to hunt for food.
A magnolia tree is a plant. It has many green leaves.
Magnolia trees have red seeds. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a book? | [
"***A Ball for Daisy***",
"\"A Ball for Daisy\""
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Formatting titles | The title of a book, movie, play, TV show, magazine, or newspaper should be in italics. If you write it by hand, it can be underlined instead.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The title of a poem, song, article, or short story should be in quotation marks.
"You Are My Sunshine" | A book should be in italics.
The correct title is **A Ball for Daisy**. |
|
Select the one true statement. | [
"In an animal cell, the endoplasmic reticulum contains the master plan for cell activities and cell development.",
"Mitochondria break down sugar to release energy that a plant cell can use.",
"Chromosomes store nutrients, water, and waste in an animal cell."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Cells | Compare cells and cell parts | |||
Suppose Felix decides to buy a copy of the book. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Felix will get to keep the book as long as he wants.",
"Felix will spend money to buy the book."
] | 1 | Felix is deciding whether to buy a copy of a book or borrow it from the library. He would like to be able to keep the book as long as he wants, but buying the book would cost money. He could borrow the book for free, but he would have to return it in a few weeks. | closed choice | grade5 | social science | economics | Basic economic principles | Costs and benefits | Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need. | This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Felix wants or needs:
Felix will spend money to buy the book. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
The old wooden rocking chair that Lacey brought home from the rummage sale was as comfortable as a bed of nails. | [
"alliteration",
"verbal irony"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
As comfortable as a bed of nails shows verbal irony because sitting on nails would not be comfortable. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Dr. Molina is unhappy with her new assistant because simple tasks, like fetching coffee, take him years to finish. | [
"hyperbole",
"oxymoron"
] | 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 hyperbole, an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
Take him years to finish is an exaggeration, since it probably does not take him entire years to fetch coffee. |
|
How long is the Amazon River? | [
"6,400 millimeters",
"6,400 meters",
"6,400 centimeters",
"6,400 kilometers"
] | 3 | 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 the Amazon River is 6,400 kilometers.
6,400 millimeters, 6,400 centimeters, and 6,400 meters are all too short. |
The movers lift the boxes at the same speed. Which box is lifted with a larger force? | [
"a box holding 44 pounds",
"a box holding 38 pounds"
] | 0 | Two movers are putting heavy boxes into their truck. The boxes are the same shape and size. Each mover lifts one box up into the truck at a time. | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | How do mass and force affect motion? | A force is a push or a pull.
A force can make an object start moving or stop an object that is moving. A force can also make an object speed up, slow down, or change direction.
Forces can be different sizes.
Think about trying to move a heavy object and a light object. Imagine you want to move them at the same speed. You will need to use a larger force to move the heavy object. | Look for the box that is heavier.
A box holding 44 pounds is heavier than a box holding 38 pounds. So, the box holding 44 pounds needs a larger force to start moving upward at the same speed as the other box. |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
The artistic feats of the Italian Renaissance painters are seen as Promethean by most historians. | [
"Greek mythology",
"U.S. history"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | 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.
The protean nature of the disease makes it difficult to diagnose.
The word protean is an allusion to the sea god Proteus in Greek mythology. Because the sea is constantly changing, to describe something as protean suggests that it is variable or in flux. | The source of the allusion Promethean is Greek mythology.
In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a Titan who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humankind. Although Prometheus was punished by the gods, humanity's future was forever changed.
The allusion Promethean means boldly innovative. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Tucker's leaving his job? That's old news. He's been planning that for months. | [
"euphemism",
"oxymoron"
] | 1 | 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.
Old news is a contradiction, because news is recent information. |
|
How long is an apple seed? | [
"7 centimeters",
"7 kilometers",
"7 meters",
"7 millimeters"
] | 3 | 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 an apple seed is 7 millimeters.
7 centimeters, 7 meters, and 7 kilometers are all too long. |
Which water balloon has a lower temperature? | [
"the water balloon with less thermal energy",
"the water balloon with more thermal energy"
] | 0 | Two water balloons are identical except for their thermal energies. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Thermal energy | How are temperature and mass related to thermal energy? | Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are always moving.
The energy of moving atoms is called thermal energy. The total amount of thermal energy in matter depends on three things: the type of matter, the amount of matter, and how fast the atoms are moving.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the atoms in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature.
What happens if the amount of matter changes? A 2-kilogram brick at 70°F has twice as much thermal energy as a 1-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the larger brick has twice as many atoms. So, it has twice as much thermal energy. | The two water balloons are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the water balloon with less thermal energy has a lower temperature. |
Select the invertebrate. | [
"black widow spider",
"blue jay",
"wombat",
"common snapping turtle"
] | 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 blue jay is a bird. Like other birds, a blue jay is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
Like other spiders, a black widow spider is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A common snapping turtle is a reptile. Like other reptiles, a common snapping turtle is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A wombat is a mammal. Like other mammals, a wombat is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. |
Which tense does the sentence use?
Our guests will stay for three days and two nights. | [
"present tense",
"future tense",
"past tense"
] | 1 | 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, stay. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
It has not rained in over a week at Laura's house. | [
"climate",
"weather"
] | 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.
It has not rained in over a week at Laura's house.
This passage tells you about the precipitation last week at Laura's house. It describes the atmosphere at a certain place and time. So, this passage describes the weather. |
Which correctly shows the title of a song? | [
"\"the wheels on the Bus\"",
"\"The Wheels on the Bus\""
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | capitalization | Formatting | Capitalizing titles | In a title, capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between.
The Wind in the Willows James and the Giant Peach
These words are not important in titles:
Articles, a, an, the
Short prepositions, such as at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up
Coordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, or | Capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between. The words on and the are not important, so they should not be capitalized.
The correct title is "The Wheels on the Bus." |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Jake went on to calculus after studying trigonometry, but he never fully comprehended calculus.",
"Jake went on to calculus after studying trigonometry, but he never fully comprehended it."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The first answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun it could refer to calculus or trigonometry.
The second answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. It has been replaced with calculus.
Jake went on to calculus after studying trigonometry, but he never fully comprehended calculus. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Austin inherited this trait? | [
"Austin and his father both have dark hair.",
"Austin's parents have pale skin. They passed down this trait to Austin."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Austin has pale skin. | 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 logical fallacy is used in the text?
Before I refute my opponent's argument, I would like to draw attention to the fact that he is sweating and clearly does not have much experience on the debate team. | [
"ad hominem: an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself",
"bandwagon fallacy: the assumption that the popular choice is automatically correct",
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | 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 the speaker's debate opponent is sweaty and inexperienced. This is a personal attack that isn't relevant to whether the opponent's argument is valid. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as ad hominem. |
|
Which type of sentence is this?
An avid reader, Jayden attends weekly book club meetings, and he finishes several novels every month. | [
"compound",
"compound-complex",
"simple",
"complex"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | 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, Jayden attends weekly book club meetings, and he finishes several novels every month. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
My sister will place the plates and bowls on the table. | [
"future tense",
"past tense",
"present 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, place. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear dr. larson,",
"Dear Dr. Larson,"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | capitalization | Capitalization | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Dr. Larson is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her ideas and development?
An elephant's trunk has many purposes, including breathing, smelling, drinking, lifting, and communicating. It contains about one hundred thousand different muscles. Elephants have a very long gestation period: a female is pregnant for nearly twenty-two months before giving birth. Newborn calves weigh as much as two hundred pounds. Sadly, thousands of elephants are killed every year for their ivory tusks. Even though the ivory trade is illegal, it has not been completely stopped. As a result, elephants are endangered. | [
"by including more details",
"by clearly stating the main idea",
"by focusing on one main idea"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Editing and revising | Suggest appropriate revisions | During peer review, you read and respond to a fellow student's writing. While there are many methods and strategies that you can use for reviewing a text, it is generally helpful to frame your suggestions in concrete and constructive ways and to consider the following areas for revision:
Ideas and development: Does the writer express a clear idea and develop it with evidence, examples, or analysis?
Organization: Does the writer order ideas in a clear, logical way so that they build on one another and are easy to follow?
Voice: Does the writer maintain an appropriate voice, such as a formal and objective voice in an academic essay or an engaging and expressive voice in a narrative essay?
Sentence fluency: Does the writer use sentences that vary in structure and length to create a sense of rhythm and flow within and between sentences, or does the writing sound choppy, rambling, or repetitive?
Word choice: Does the writer use words accurately and precisely to create clear, effective, and engaging writing?
Grammar and mechanics: Does the writer follow appropriate conventions, using accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar to create writing that is correct and easy to read? | The writer could best improve his or her ideas and development by focusing on one main idea.
For example, the writer could choose one of the underlined ideas and develop it more fully instead of touching on several different ideas.
An elephant's trunk has many purposes, including breathing, smelling, drinking, lifting, and communicating. It contains about one hundred thousand different muscles. Elephants have a very long gestation period: a female is pregnant for nearly twenty-two months before giving birth. Newborn calves weigh as much as two hundred pounds. Sadly, thousands of elephants are killed every year for their ivory tusks. Even though the ivory trade is illegal, it has not been completely stopped. As a result, elephants are endangered. |
|
Which would stretch the most? | [
"nylon swim shorts",
"soap bar",
"glass cup"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. Some examples of properties are shiny, hard, fragile, and stretchy.
For example, a shiny material reflects a lot of light. A fragile material breaks when you drop it. | Stretchy is a property. A stretchy material gets longer when you pull on it.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine pulling on the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the nylon swim shorts would stretch the most. If you pull the leg opening on a pair of nylon swim shorts, it will get wider. |
|
Would you find the word petrify on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
piece - politics | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 1 | yes or no | grade7 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since petrify is not between the guide words piece - politics, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Which type of sentence is this?
As Johnny sat down on the rickety old chair, it abruptly collapsed beneath him. | [
"simple",
"compound",
"complex",
"compound-complex"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade7 | 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 complex. It is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause begins with the subordinating conjunction as.
As Johnny sat down on the rickety old chair, it abruptly collapsed beneath him. |
|
Look at the word. Does it have a closed syllable or an open syllable?
at | [
"closed",
"open"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | word-study | Short and long vowels | Is the syllable open or closed? | Words are made up of syllables. Two kinds of syllables are closed and open.
A closed syllable has one vowel and ends with a consonant. It usually has a short vowel sound.
desk: short e
kit / ten: short i / short e
An open syllable ends with one vowel. It usually has a long vowel sound.
go: long o
he / ro: long e / long o
Some open syllables end with y. The y makes a long e sound or a long i sound.
sky: long i
ba / by: long a / long e | The word at ends with a consonant and has a short vowel sound. So, it has a closed syllable. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a poem? | [
"\"Casey at the Bat\"",
"Casey at the Bat"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Formatting titles | The title of a book, movie, play, TV show, magazine, or newspaper should be in italics. If you write it by hand, it can be underlined instead.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The title of a poem, song, article, or short story should be in quotation marks.
"You Are My Sunshine" | A poem should be in quotation marks.
The correct title is "Casey at the Bat." |
|
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
It is snowing in Colleen's town today. | [
"climate",
"weather"
] | 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 | grade4 | 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.
It is snowing in Colleen's town today.
This passage tells you about the precipitation today in Colleen's town. It describes the atmosphere at a certain place and time. So, this passage describes the weather. |
Which tense does the sentence use?
Mr. Boyd signed his name on the letter. | [
"present tense",
"future tense",
"past tense"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in past tense. You can tell because it uses a past-tense verb, signed. The verb ends in -ed and tells you about something that has already happened. |
|
Select the one true statement. | [
"Chromosomes are inside the nucleus of an animal cell.",
"The cell membrane stores nutrients, water, and waste in a plant cell.",
"Plant cells can have mitochondria but do not have vacuoles."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Cells | Compare cells and cell parts | |||
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
leather - lower | [
"little",
"latitude"
] | 0 | 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 little is between the guide words leather - lower, it would be found on that page. |
|
Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her organization?
For several reasons, plagiarism is a major issue in schools today. Part of the problem is that many students don't even know what plagiarism means exactly. For teachers, it can be a challenge to spot plagiarism. As a result, several Internet services have been created to help teachers detect copied material by showing the sources of passages that aren't original. Students need to know that any act of using another person's ideas or words without giving credit to that person is plagiarism. They must understand how serious the consequences can be. People who plagiarize may have their reputation and credibility destroyed, and they may be in violation of copyright laws. It is important for students and teachers to work together to prevent plagiarism. | [
"by making a general statement before giving examples",
"by removing text unrelated to the main idea",
"by discussing one topic before moving on to another"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Editing and revising | Suggest appropriate revisions | During peer review, you read and respond to a fellow student's writing. While there are many methods and strategies that you can use for reviewing a text, it is generally helpful to frame your suggestions in concrete and constructive ways and to consider the following areas for revision:
Ideas and development: Does the writer express a clear idea and develop it with evidence, examples, or analysis?
Organization: Does the writer order ideas in a clear, logical way so that they build on one another and are easy to follow?
Voice: Does the writer maintain an appropriate voice, such as a formal and objective voice in an academic essay or an engaging and expressive voice in a narrative essay?
Sentence fluency: Does the writer use sentences that vary in structure and length to create a sense of rhythm and flow within and between sentences, or does the writing sound choppy, rambling, or repetitive?
Word choice: Does the writer use words accurately and precisely to create clear, effective, and engaging writing?
Grammar and mechanics: Does the writer follow appropriate conventions, using accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar to create writing that is correct and easy to read? | The writer could best improve his or her organization by discussing one topic before moving on to another.
For example, the writer could move the underlined text to follow the second sentence so that all the information about students comes before the part about teachers.
For several reasons, plagiarism is a major issue in schools today. Part of the problem is that many students don't even know what plagiarism means exactly. For teachers, it can be a challenge to spot plagiarism. As a result, several Internet services have been created to help teachers detect copied material by showing the sources of passages that aren't original. Students need to know that any act of using another person's ideas or words without giving credit to that person is plagiarism. They must understand how serious the consequences can be. People who plagiarize may have their reputation and credibility destroyed, and they may be in violation of copyright laws. It is important for students and teachers to work together to prevent plagiarism. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Finn dropped out of college to travel the world, but a year later, the prodigal son returned home and re-enrolled. | [
"Greek mythology",
"the Bible"
] | 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 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. |
|
Which is a complex sentence? | [
"Mr. Long's afternoon lecture was about art and culture in Germany before World War II.",
"Bobby prepared a receipt for the customer while Eddie packaged her items for her."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The second sentence is the complex sentence. It is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause begins with the subordinating conjunction while.
Bobby prepared a receipt for the customer while Eddie packaged her items for her. |
|
Based on this information, what is Nessie's phenotype for the body color trait? | [
"bb",
"a golden body"
] | 1 | In a group of guppies, some individuals have a gray body and others have a golden body. In this group, the gene for the body color trait has two alleles. The allele B is for a gray body, and the allele b is for a golden body.
Nessie, a guppy from this group, has a golden body. Nessie has two alleles for a golden body. | closed choice | grade6 | 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. Nessie's observable version of the body color trait is a golden body. So, Nessie's phenotype for the body color trait is a golden body. |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Sue has a scar on her right hand. | [
"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. |
Which text uses the word disinterested in its traditional sense? | [
"Akira is happy with her position as class treasurer. Though she would have the support of the student council, she is disinterested in running for student body president.",
"Akira is excellent in her position as class treasurer. She always manages to be disinterested in student council debates about the allocation of extracurricular funds."
] | 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 second text uses disinterested in its traditional sense: unbiased or impartial.
Akira is excellent in her position as class treasurer. She always manages to be disinterested in student council debates about the allocation of extracurricular funds.
The first text uses disinterested in its nontraditional sense: uninterested or indifferent.
Akira is happy with her position as class treasurer. Though she would have the support of the student council, she is disinterested in running for student body president.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word disinterested because it is considered more standard. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
Will you be here again next Wednesday? | [
"interrogative",
"declarative"
] | 0 | 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 asks something, and it ends with a question mark. It is an interrogative sentence. |
|
Based on this information, what is Holly's phenotype for the body hair trait? | [
"a hairless body",
"a hairy body"
] | 1 | In a group of deer mice, some individuals have a hairy body and others have a hairless body. In this group, the gene for the body hair trait has two alleles. The allele for a hairy body (B) is dominant over the allele for a hairless body (b).
Holly is a deer mouse from this group. Holly has the heterozygous genotype Bb for the body hair gene. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | You need to determine Holly's phenotype for the body hair trait. First, consider the alleles in Holly's genotype for the body hair gene. Then, decide whether these alleles are dominant or recessive.
The allele for a hairy body (B) is dominant over the allele for a hairless body (b). This means B is a dominant allele, and b is a recessive allele.
Holly's genotype of Bb has one dominant allele and one recessive allele. An organism with at least one dominant allele for a gene will have the dominant allele's version of the trait. So, Holly's phenotype for the body hair trait must be a hairy body. |
Select the one animal that has all of the reptile traits listed above. | [
"Smooth newts have moist, smooth skin with black spots. Young smooth newts hatch from eggs without shells. They live in streams or ponds until they are about ten weeks old. Then, they crawl onto land.",
"Box turtles can live to be over 100 years old! They have scaly, waterproof skin and a thick shell that helps protect them from predators. Box turtles lay eggs with shells."
] | 1 | Reptiles are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify reptiles:
They have scaly, waterproof skin.
They make eggs with shells. Observe the animals and read the descriptions. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Classification | Use evidence to classify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Scientists sort animals with similar traits into groups. This is called classification. Classification helps scientists learn about how animals live.
How do scientists classify animals? First, they make observations about an animal. Scientists observe the animal's traits, including its body parts and behavior. Then, scientists compare the animal's traits to other animals' traits. Scientists classify animals with similar traits into a group. | To decide if an animal is part of a group, look at the traits of the group.
Reptiles have the following traits:
They have scaly, waterproof skin.
They make eggs with shells.
Compare each animal's traits to the group's traits. Select the animal with traits similar to the group's traits.
A smooth newt has the following traits:
It spends part of its life in water and part on land.
It has moist skin.
It makes eggs with no shells.
A smooth newt does not have all of the traits of a reptile. A smooth newt is an amphibian.
A box turtle has the following traits:
It has scaly, waterproof skin.
It makes eggs with shells.
A box turtle has the traits of a reptile. A box turtle is a reptile. |
What does the idiom in this text suggest?
Cell phones once cost an arm and a leg, but today the majority of people can afford them. | [
"Cell phones were once very expensive.",
"Cell phones once varied greatly in price."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake. | The text uses an idiom, an expression that cannot be understood literally.
The idiom an arm and a leg suggests that cell phones were once very expensive. A part of your body would be a high price to pay, so the idiom means that something is very expensive. |
|
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"With Love,\nKristen",
"With love,\nKristen"
] | 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 closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Suppose Haley decides to see the leopards. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Haley will spend more time walking to the leopards. They are on the other side of the zoo, but the elephants are close by.",
"Haley will enjoy seeing the leopards more than she would have enjoyed seeing the elephants."
] | 0 | Haley is deciding whether to see the leopards or the elephants at the zoo. She wants to see lots of animals, but the zoo is closing soon. | closed choice | grade4 | social science | economics | Basic economic principles | Costs and benefits | Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need. | This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Haley wants or needs:
Haley will spend more time walking to the leopards. They are on the other side of the zoo, but the elephants are close by. |
Which sentence is more formal? | [
"Many languages around the world are endangered because young people aren't learning them.",
"Many languages around the world are endangered because young people are not learning them."
] | 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 a contraction (aren't).
The first sentence does not use a contraction, so it is more formal. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
The national park is truly a Garden of Eden. | [
"the Bible",
"a song"
] | 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 Garden of Eden is the Bible.
In the Bible, the Garden of Eden is a paradise where the first man and woman lived.
The allusion Garden of Eden means a place of great beauty and peace. |
|
Which type of sentence is this?
Anna is a competitive horseback rider, and she will be competing in the next World Equestrian Games, which are held every four years. | [
"compound-complex",
"simple",
"complex",
"compound"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | 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-complex. It is made up of two independent clauses and a dependent clause. The dependent clause begins with the relative pronoun which.
Anna is a competitive horseback rider, and she will be competing in the next World Equestrian Games, which are held every four years. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
water freezing into ice
peeling a banana | [
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 2 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, ice melting is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Water freezing into ice is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. The water changes from solid to liquid. But the ice is still made of the same type of matter as the liquid water.
Peeling a banana is a physical change. The peel is not covering the rest of the fruit anymore. But both the peel and the banana are still made of the same type of matter as before.
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.
Water freezing is caused by cooling. But peeling a banana is not. |
|
Compare the motion of two trains. Which train was moving at a higher speed? | [
"a train that moved 405kilometers in 5hours",
"a train that moved 540kilometers 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 faster will go a farther distance in that time. It is moving at a higher speed. | Look at the distance each train moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One train moved 540 kilometers in 5 hours.
The other train moved 405 kilometers in 5 hours.
Notice that each train spent the same amount of time moving. The train that moved 540 kilometers moved a farther distance in that time. So, that train must have moved at a higher speed. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
hair - holly | [
"humble",
"history"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since history is between the guide words hair - holly, it would be found on that page. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Gary investigate with an experiment? | [
"Do rubber balloons or foil balloons stick to the wooden door longer after being rubbed on his hair?",
"Do rubber balloons stick to a cotton blanket or a wooden door longer after being rubbed on his hair?",
"Do rubber balloons stick to a wooden door or a metal door longer after being rubbed on his hair?"
] | 1 | Gary went to a magic show. The magician rubbed a balloon on her hair and then held the balloon against a wall. When the magician released the balloon, Gary was amazed to see that it stuck to the wall! He wonders what factors affect how well balloons stick to different surfaces. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
the hair on his own head
a cotton blanket
a wooden door
five rubber balloons | 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! |
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