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Which is a simple sentence? | [
"Unless the weather forecast is wrong, you'll probably need an umbrella tomorrow.",
"Darell stacked a crate of oranges on top of the crate of lemons and checked both crates off his order sheet."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The second sentence is the simple sentence. It is a single independent clause.
Darell stacked a crate of oranges on top of the crate of lemons and checked both crates off his order sheet. |
|
Which change best matches the sentence?
Lava comes out of a crack in Earth's surface. | [
"wildfire",
"volcanic eruption",
"flood"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | earth-science | Earth events | Classify changes to Earth's surface I | |||
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
Gary lives in a city that is often covered by thick stratus clouds. | [
"climate",
"weather"
] | 0 | 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.
Gary lives in a city that is often covered by thick stratus clouds.
This passage tells you about the usual clouds where Gary lives. It does not describe what the weather is like on a particular day. So, this passage describes the climate. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
My grandfather eats candy all the time, and he's still got all of his teeth! Candy must not really rot people's teeth out. | [
"hasty generalization: a very broad claim based on very little evidence",
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | 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 eating a lot of candy never causes a person's teeth to rot out. However, even though the speaker's grandfather eats a lot of candy and has healthy teeth, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's true for everyone. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as a hasty generalization. |
|
What is the volume of a fish bowl? | [
"5 liters",
"5 milliliters"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using metric units, volume may be written in units of milliliters or liters.
There are 1,000 milliliters in 1 liter. So, 1 milliliter is much less than 1 liter.
A raindrop has a volume of about 20 milliliters, while a large soda bottle has a volume of 2 liters. The flask shown here measures volumes up to 500 milliliters. | The better estimate for the volume of a fish bowl is 5 liters.
5 milliliters is too little. |
Compare the motion of two mountain bikers. Which mountain biker was moving at a higher speed? | [
"a mountain biker who moved 165kilometers in 5hours",
"a mountain biker who moved 135kilometers in 5hours"
] | 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 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 mountain biker moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One mountain biker moved 165 kilometers in 5 hours.
The other mountain biker moved 135 kilometers in 5 hours.
Notice that each mountain biker spent the same amount of time moving. The mountain biker who moved 165 kilometers moved a farther distance in that time. So, that mountain biker must have moved at a higher speed. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
I pulled Kenny off the project because his work was sloppy. While we're at it, let's pull Eva off the project, too. I haven't reviewed her work, but she's friends with Kenny, so we cannot rely on the quality of her work either. | [
"false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist",
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something",
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | 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 Eva's work is low quality because her friend's work is low quality. However, the work of Eva's friend does not necessarily reflect the quality of Eva's work. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as guilt by association. |
|
How long is a hiking trail? | [
"4 inches",
"4 yards",
"4 feet",
"4 miles"
] | 3 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using customary units, length may be written with units of inches, feet, yards, or miles.
There are 12 inches in 1 foot, and 3 feet in 1 yard. There are 5,280 feet in 1 mile.
A football is about 1 foot long. A football field is 100 yards long. | The best estimate for the length of a hiking trail is 4 miles.
4 inches, 4 feet, and 4 yards are all too short. |
Which phrase has a more negative connotation? | [
"a meticulous editor",
"a nitpicky editor"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | vocabulary | Shades of meaning | Positive and negative connotation | Connotation is the feeling or idea that goes along with a word or phrase. Some words are close in meaning but have different connotations.
For example, think about the words eager and impatient. They both mean wanting something to happen, but they have different connotations.
Eager has a positive connotation. It is a nice word. An eager person is happy and excited.
Impatient has a negative connotation. It is not a nice word. An impatient person is often pushy and demanding. | A nitpicky editor has a more negative connotation. Nitpicky and meticulous both denote paying attention to small details. However, nitpicky suggests a person is overly critical about unimportant things, while meticulous suggests a person is careful and methodical. |
|
Based on this information, what is Wanda's phenotype for the body color trait? | [
"a gray body",
"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 for a gray body (B) is dominant over the allele for a golden body (b).
Wanda is a guppy from this group. Wanda has the homozygous genotype bb for the body color gene. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Wanda's genotype for the body color gene is bb. Wanda's genotype of bb has only b alleles. The b allele is for a golden body. So, Wanda's phenotype for the body color trait must be a golden body.
To check this answer, consider whether Wanda's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for a gray body (B) is dominant over the allele for a golden body (b). This means B is a dominant allele, and b is a recessive allele.
Wanda'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, Wanda's phenotype for the body color trait must be a golden body. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Don't be deceived by Amy Beasley's articles on rural, blue-collar workers. Her husband is a fancy investment banker, so she can't possibly understand their situation. | [
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something",
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against",
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | 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 Amy Beasley can't understand rural, blue-collar workers because she is associated with an urban newspaper. However, where Amy works doesn't necessarily indicate anything about her ability to empathize. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as guilt by association. |
|
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"The Jamestown colony was founded in 1607.",
"Life was harder in Jamestown than in Plymouth."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | social science | civics | Social studies skills | Identify facts and opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true. Facts can be proved by observing, measuring, or studying information.
The flag of the United States has 13 stripes.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at the flag and counting the number of stripes.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
The flag of the United States is easy to draw.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about what makes a flag "easy" to draw. | The first sentence states a fact.
The Jamestown colony was founded in 1607.
It can be proved by looking up when the Jamestown colony was started.
The second sentence states an opinion.
Life was harder in Jamestown than in Plymouth.
Hard shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about what makes life easy or hard. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
Evan folded the wool blanket on his bed. | [
"future tense",
"present tense",
"past tense"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in past tense. You can tell because it uses a past-tense verb, folded. The verb ends in -ed and tells you about something that has already happened. |
|
What is Thurgood Marshall best known for? | [
"leading civil rights marches in the South",
"becoming the first African American member of Congress",
"being the first African American justice on the Supreme Court",
"helping enslaved people in the South escape to freedom"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade2 | social science | us-history | Historical figures | Thurgood Marshall | Thurgood Marshall was the first African American justice on the Supreme Court. He was the 96 th person to become a Supreme Court judge. |
||
The city of Stafford has been one of the world's biggest makers of cough drops for many years. But last month, Stafford's cough drop factories were destroyed by floods. What will probably happen to the overall supply of cough drops? | [
"The supply will probably go up.",
"The supply will probably go down."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | Floods destroyed the cough drop factories in Stafford. The number of producers of cough drops went down. So, the supply of cough drops will probably go down. |
|
Which word does not rhyme? | [
"crab",
"king",
"wing"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade1 | language science | phonological-awareness | Rhyming | Which word does not rhyme? | Rhyming words are words that end with the same sound.
The words tip and slip rhyme. They both end with the ip sound.
The words lake and make rhyme. They both end with the ake sound.
The words tip and lake don't rhyme. They end with different sounds. | The words king and wing rhyme. They both end with the ing sound.
The word crab does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
cracking open a peanut
stretching a rubber band | [
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 3 | 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.
Cracking open a peanut is a physical change. The peanut shell breaks and the peanut falls out. Both are still made of the same type of matter.
Stretching a rubber band is a physical change. The rubber band gets longer. But it is 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.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Complete the statement. Assume that the motorcycle's mass did not change.
The gravitational potential energy stored between the motorcycle and Earth () as Bryan rode up the hill. | [
"stayed the same",
"increased",
"decreased"
] | 1 | Read the text about an object in motion.
Bryan rode his motorcycle from the bottom of a hill to the top of the hill. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | physics | Kinetic and potential energy | Identify changes in gravitational potential energy | Gravitational potential energy is stored between any two objects. So, for every object on or near Earth, there is gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth.
The amount of gravitational potential energy stored between an object and Earth depends on the mass of the object. The amount of gravitational potential energy also depends on the distance between the object and the center of Earth. This distance increases when the object moves higher and decreases when the object moves lower.
If the distance between an object and the center of Earth changes, the gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth will change. The table below shows how this change can happen.
When an object's mass stays the same and its distance from the center of Earth... | Gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth...
increases | increases
decreases | decreases
stays the same | stays the same | Think about how the distance between the motorcycle and the center of Earth changed.
The top of the hill is higher than the bottom of the hill. As Bryan rode toward the top of the hill, the distance between the motorcycle and the center of Earth increased. So, the gravitational potential energy stored between the motorcycle and Earth increased as Bryan rode up the hill. |
Complete the sentence.
Mixing food coloring into frosting is a (). | [
"physical change",
"chemical change"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Identify physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
Cutting a piece of paper is a physical change. The cut pieces are still made of paper.
A change of state is a type of physical change. For example, ice melting is a physical change. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water. | Mixing food coloring into frosting is a physical change. Adding the coloring to the frosting makes a mixture. Making a mixture does not form a different type of matter. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Elijah can fly a helicopter. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | People are not born knowing how to fly a helicopter. Instead, some people learn how to fly helicopters. So, flying a helicopter is an acquired trait. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Jeanette wants to play a guitar solo on our next recording. Her father is a horrible musician, though, so I doubt that Jeanette's any good either. | [
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something",
"false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | a personal attack meant to discredit one's opponent
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
red herring | the use of a completely unrelated topic in support of a claim
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a very broad claim based on very little evidence
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that Jeanette must be a bad guitar player, because her father is a horrible musician. However, even though Jeanette's father is a horrible musician, that doesn't necessarily mean that Jeanette is as well. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as guilt by association. |
|
What is the mass of an earthworm? | [
"6 grams",
"6 kilograms"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of mass | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Mass is a measurement of how much matter something contains.
There are many different units of mass. When you are using metric units, mass may be written with units of grams or kilograms.
There are 1,000 grams in 1 kilogram. So, 1 gram is much less than 1 kilogram.
A paper clip has a mass of about 1 gram, while a textbook has a mass of about 1 kilogram. | The better estimate for the mass of an earthworm is 6 grams.
6 kilograms is too heavy. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
angry - awkward | [
"around",
"about"
] | 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 around is between the guide words angry - awkward, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Johnny'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. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"That wool scarf looks soft and warm.",
"Anna will fly to India, or she will sail to Hawaii."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple or compound? | A simple sentence is a sentence with only one subject and predicate.
The pitcher threw the ball to first base.
A compound sentence is two simple sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
The pitcher threw the ball, and the batter hit it.
Some simple sentences have a compound subject or a compound predicate, but they are not compound sentences.
Anna and James will watch the fireworks tonight.
This simple sentence has a compound subject, Anna and James.
The singers bowed and walked off the stage.
This simple sentence has a compound predicate, bowed and walked off the stage.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but they are not compound sentences. The introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Farmer Ben wears his heavy coat.
This is a simple sentence. There is one subject, Farmer Ben, and one predicate, wears his heavy coat in the winter. | The second sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two simple sentences joined by a comma and the conjunction or.
Anna will fly to India, or she will sail to Hawaii. |
|
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
The air pressure has been rising throughout the day in Moscow, Russia. | [
"climate",
"weather"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | earth-science | Weather and climate | What's the difference between weather and climate? | The atmosphere is the layer of air that surrounds Earth. Both weather and climate tell you about the atmosphere.
Weather is what the atmosphere is like at a certain place and time. Weather can change quickly. For example, the temperature outside your house might get higher throughout the day.
Climate is the pattern of weather in a certain place. For example, summer temperatures in New York are usually higher than winter temperatures. | Read the text carefully.
The air pressure has been rising throughout the day in Moscow, Russia.
Air pressure is caused by the weight of the air in the atmosphere. When the air pressure is high, the sky is usually clear.
This passage tells you about the air pressure in Moscow today. It describes the atmosphere at a certain place and time. So, this passage describes the weather. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Belle has a scar on her right leg. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 0 | Hint: Most scars are caused by accidents during a person's life. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | Children do not inherit their parent's scars. Instead, scars are caused by the environment. People can get scars after they get hurt. So, having a scar is an acquired trait. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
whisper - wrote | [
"warrior",
"wipe"
] | 1 | 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 wipe is between the guide words whisper - wrote, it would be found on that page. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
milk going sour
a copper statue turning green | [
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, ice melting is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
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.
A copper statue turning green is a chemical change. The copper reacts with oxygen in the air. This reaction forms a different type of matter called copper oxide. The copper oxide is green.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
In 1913, the Ford Motor Company started using assembly lines to build their cars. Ford's workers could build a complete car in 93 minutes on the assembly line. Before then, it took workers many hours to build a single car by hand.
What happened to the overall supply of cars after 1913? | [
"The supply went up.",
"The supply went down."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | The assembly line was a new technology. The Ford Motor Company used the assembly line to build cars much faster than before. So, the overall supply of cars went up. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Liam acquired this trait? | [
"Liam has three jump ropes, each made of a different material.",
"Liam won a competition at his school with his jump rope tricks.",
"Liam's sister taught him how to do tricks with a jump rope."
] | 2 | Read the description of a trait.
Liam knows how to do tricks with a jump rope. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
What does the verbal irony in this text suggest?
After a jog around the block, Layla collapsed on the couch and declared with a wheeze, "Well, I'm ready to run a marathon." | [
"Layla plans to run more.",
"Layla was out of shape."
] | 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.
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.
Ready to run a marathon ironically suggests that Layla was out of shape. She was actually far from ready to run a marathon. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
Victor carefully spelled the word aloud. | [
"past tense",
"future 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 past tense. You can tell because it uses a past-tense verb, spelled. The verb ends in -ed and tells you about something that has already happened. |
|
Is the following statement true or false?
Animal cells do not have vacuoles. | [
"false",
"true"
] | 0 | true-or false | grade4 | natural science | biology | Cells | Cell part functions: true or false | Animal cells do not have vacuoles.
This statement is false. Not all cells have vacuoles, but most plant and animal cells have them. |
||
Compare the motion of two blue jays. Which blue jay was moving at a higher speed? | [
"a blue jay that moved 330kilometers in 10hours",
"a blue jay that moved 315kilometers 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 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 blue jay moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One blue jay moved 330 kilometers in 10 hours.
The other blue jay moved 315 kilometers in 10 hours.
Notice that each blue jay spent the same amount of time moving. The blue jay that moved 330 kilometers moved a farther distance in that time. So, that blue jay must have moved at a higher speed. |
|
What is the temperature of someone with a fever? | [
"40°F",
"40°C"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Estimate temperatures | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Temperature can be written with units of degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or Celsius (°C). Use the list below to compare the two units.
212°F | Water boils | 100°C
98.6°F | Body temperature | 37°C
68°F | Room temperature | 20°C
32°F | Water freezes | 0°C
| The better estimate for the temperature of someone with a fever is 40°C.
40°F is too cold. |
Which is a simple sentence? | [
"Rosa made a picture frame, and Nolan built a bird house.",
"Kentucky joined the United States in 1792."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple or compound? | A simple sentence is a sentence with only one subject and predicate.
The pitcher threw the ball to first base.
A compound sentence is two simple sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
The pitcher threw the ball, and the batter hit it.
Some simple sentences have a compound subject or a compound predicate, but they are not compound sentences.
Anna and James will watch the fireworks tonight.
This simple sentence has a compound subject, Anna and James.
The singers bowed and walked off the stage.
This simple sentence has a compound predicate, bowed and walked off the stage.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but they are not compound sentences. The introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Farmer Ben wears his heavy coat.
This is a simple sentence. There is one subject, Farmer Ben, and one predicate, wears his heavy coat in the winter. | The second sentence is the simple sentence. It has one subject and predicate.
Kentucky joined the United States in 1792. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
I can't believe how rude he was! | [
"interrogative",
"exclamatory"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement. It tells about something. A declarative sentence always ends with a period.
I have an older brother and a younger sister.
An interrogative sentence is a question. It asks something. An interrogative sentence always ends with a question mark.
How tall are you?
An imperative sentence is a command. It makes a request or tells someone to do something. An imperative sentence usually ends with a period. If the command shows strong feeling, it ends with an exclamation point.
Read the first chapter by next week.
Look out for that car!
An exclamatory sentence is like a statement, but it shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.
Some whales are over ninety feet long!
I can't wait until tomorrow! | The sentence tells about something, but it shows strong feeling and ends with an exclamation point. It is an exclamatory sentence. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Matt acquired this trait? | [
"Matt's scar was caused by an accident. He cut his arm when he fell off his bicycle.",
"Some scars fade more quickly than others."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Matt has a scar on his right arm. | 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. | |
Complete the statement.
Titanium is (). | [
"a compound",
"an elementary substance"
] | 1 | Titanium is a strong, lightweight metal often used to make tennis rackets and golf clubs. The chemical formula for titanium is Ti. | 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 titanium 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 titanium is Ti. This formula contains one symbol: Ti. So, the formula tells you that titanium is made of one chemical element.
Substances made of only one chemical element are elementary substances. So, titanium is an elementary substance. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Sure, we haven't given raises to our employees in more than ten years. However, we do pride ourselves on providing customer service in over seven different languages. | [
"red herring: the use of a completely unrelated topic or idea",
"false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | a personal attack meant to discredit one's opponent
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
red herring | the use of a completely unrelated topic in support of a claim
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a very broad claim based on very little evidence
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that emphasizing customer service compensates for the company not giving raises to employees. However, these two ideas aren't related. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as a red herring. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
cutting an orange
a sidewalk heating up in the sun | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling."
] | 0 | 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.
Cutting an orange is a physical change. The orange gets a different shape. But it is still made of the same type of matter as the uncut orange.
A sidewalk heating up in the sun is a physical change. The temperature of the sidewalk goes up, but the sidewalk 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.
A sidewalk getting warm in the sun is caused by heating. But cutting an orange is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which statement describes the baseball player's motion? | [
"The baseball player is accelerating.",
"The baseball player has a constant velocity."
] | 0 | A baseball player is reducing his speed after running straight past first base. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | physics | Velocity, acceleration, and forces | Identify whether objects are accelerating | An object's velocity describes its speed and its direction.
An object has a constant velocity when neither its speed nor its direction is changing. So, an object has a constant velocity when the object is:
moving in a straight line at a constant speed, or
remaining motionless.
If an object does not have a constant velocity, the object is accelerating. An object is accelerating when either its speed or its direction is changing. So, an object is accelerating when the object is:
speeding up,
slowing down, or
changing direction. | The baseball player is slowing down. So, the baseball player is accelerating. |
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"Your Friend,\nEllen",
"Your friend,\nEllen"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
Mason will count the coins in his collection. | [
"present tense",
"past tense",
"future tense"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, count. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Select the hot desert ecosystem. | [
"This ecosystem has:\na small amount of rain or snow\ndry, thin soil\nlong, cold winters",
"This ecosystem has:\na small amount of rain\ndry, thin soil\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"
] | 1 | 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 hot desert is a type of ecosystem. It has a small amount of rain, dry, thin soil, and many different types of organisms.
Choice 1 is a hot desert ecosystem. It is dry and is home to many different types of organisms.
Choice 2 is a cold desert ecosystem. It is dry and has long, cold winters. It has a thin layer of soil covering bedrock.
Choice 3 is a temperate deciduous forest ecosystem. It has warm, wet summers and cold, wet winters. |
|
Select the vertebrate. | [
"polar bear",
"redback spider"
] | 0 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are vertebrates. | closed choice | grade3 | 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 a hard outer cover on their body. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | A polar bear is a mammal. Like other mammals, a polar bear is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
Like other spiders, a redback spider is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a hard outer cover. |
How long is an ice skate? | [
"10 feet",
"10 yards",
"10 inches",
"10 miles"
] | 2 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using customary units, length may be written with units of inches, feet, yards, or miles.
There are 12 inches in 1 foot, and 3 feet in 1 yard. There are 5,280 feet in 1 mile.
A football is about 1 foot long. A football field is 100 yards long. | The best estimate for the length of an ice skate is 10 inches.
10 feet, 10 yards, and 10 miles are all too long. |
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"It was a bad idea for the British to fight in North America during the Revolution.",
"During the American Revolution, North American colonists fought against British soldiers."
] | 1 | 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.
During the American Revolution, North American colonists fought against British soldiers.
It can be proved by researching the American Revolution.
The first sentence states an opinion.
It was a bad idea for the British to fight in North America during the Revolution.
Bad shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about whether an idea is good or bad. |
|
Select the vertebrate. | [
"bull ant",
"skunk"
] | 1 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are vertebrates. | closed choice | grade3 | 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 a hard outer cover on their body. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | A skunk is a mammal. Like other mammals, a skunk is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A bull ant is an insect. Like other insects, a bull ant is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a hard outer cover. |
Is driving a bus a good or a service? | [
"a service",
"a good"
] | 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 driving a bus is a good or a service, ask these questions:
Is driving a bus something you can touch? No.
Is driving a bus a job you might pay someone else to do? Yes.
So, driving a bus is a service. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Jamie has naturally black hair. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 0 | Hint: Some people dye their hair. But this does not change their natural hair color. | 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. | Humans do not choose their natural hair color. Instead, children get their natural hair color from their parents. So, Jamie's hair color is an inherited trait. |
Which tense does the sentence use?
Crickets live in the tall grass out back. | [
"past tense",
"present tense",
"future 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 present tense. You can tell because it uses a present-tense verb, live. The verb tells you about something that is true or happening now. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
rain forming in a cloud
water boiling on a stove | [
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"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.
Rain forming in a cloud is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. Water vapor in the air condenses into tiny droplets of liquid water. These droplets make up a cloud. When there is enough water in the air, the droplets will fall as rain.
Water boiling on the stove is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. The liquid changes into a gas, but 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.
Water boiling is caused by heating. But rain forming in a cloud is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Rain begins to form when water vapor in the air becomes liquid water. This is caused by cooling. But water boiling is not. |
|
Select the invertebrate. | [
"piranha",
"West African rubber frog",
"tiger",
"peacock butterfly"
] | 3 | 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 tiger is a mammal. Like other mammals, a tiger is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A piranha is a fish. Like other fish, a piranha is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A peacock butterfly is an insect. Like other insects, a peacock butterfly is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A West African rubber frog is an amphibian. Like other amphibians, a West African rubber frog is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. |
How long is a paper clip? | [
"29 millimeters",
"29 meters",
"29 centimeters",
"29 kilometers"
] | 0 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using metric units, length can be written with units of millimeters, centimeters, meters, or kilometers. One meter contains 100 centimeters or 1,000 millimeters. So, 1 meter is larger than 1 centimeter, and 1 centimeter is larger than 1 millimeter.
The tip of the pencil shown here is only 1 millimeter wide, but the pencil is about 16 centimeters long.
A red fox is about 1 meter long. The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is about 1,000 meters, or 1 kilometer, in length. | The best estimate for the length of a paper clip is 29 millimeters.
29 centimeters, 29 meters, and 29 kilometers are all too long. |
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
The heavy door () as Tracy pushed it open. | [
"creaked",
"protested"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Creative techniques | Use personification | Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things. It is a figure of speech that can be used to make writing more interesting or to emphasize a point.
The trees danced in the wind.
The word danced describes the trees as if they were people. Unlike people, however, trees can't actually dance. Instead, the personification suggests that the trees are moving. | Complete the sentence with the word protested. It describes the door as if it were a person who didn't want to obey. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"Many members of the cat family can purr, but only tigers, lions, jaguars, and leopards can roar.",
"In June, Tori and Emmet will graduate with honors from Dover High School."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The second sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction but.
Many members of the cat family can purr, but only tigers, lions, jaguars, and leopards can roar. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Reid acquired this trait? | [
"Reid's sister taught him how to do tricks with a jump rope.",
"Reid won a competition at his school with his jump rope tricks.",
"Reid has three jump ropes, each made of a different material."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Reid knows how to do tricks with a jump rope. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Which is a sentence fragment? | [
"Dad has a beard, it is black and bushy.",
"Went to city hall to talk to the mayor."
] | 1 | 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. | Went to city hall to talk to the mayor is a sentence fragment. It is missing a subject. |
|
What is the United States Constitution? | [
"a bank that prints American money",
"a group that makes laws",
"a government building",
"a set of rules and laws"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade3 | social science | civics | Government | The Constitution | The Constitution begins with the famous words "We the People."
The United States Constitution is a set of rules and laws. All the rules and laws are part of a single document, or piece of writing.
The rules and laws in the Constitution are the most important rules and laws in the United States. No laws are allowed to go against the Constitution. For that reason, the Constitution is often called "the highest law in the land." |
||
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"yours truly,\nSanjay",
"Yours truly,\nSanjay"
] | 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 first closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Mona is good at knitting socks. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | Hint: People who can knit had to learn how to do it. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | People are not born knowing how to knit. Instead, many people learn how to knit. Knitting well takes practice. So, knitting well is an acquired trait. |
What does the allusion in this text suggest?
With the gutters clogged and water rising in the streets, Kylie, who was watching the storm from her window, commented, "We're going to need an ark to get out of here." | [
"Kylie wants to protect her possessions.",
"Kylie thinks the storm will cause major flooding."
] | 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.
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. | The text uses an allusion, a brief reference to someone or something well known.
The allusion to an ark suggests that Kylie thinks the storm will cause major flooding. In the Bible, it rains for forty days and forty nights; Noah, his family, and animals of every species survive the great flood in an ark that he builds. |
|
Complete the sentence.
Melting glass is a (). | [
"chemical change",
"physical change"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | 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 new molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then relink and form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are created 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. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water. | Melting glass is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. The glass changes from solid to liquid. But a different type of matter is not formed. |
|
Based on this information, what is Alvin's phenotype for the fur color trait? | [
"light fur",
"dark fur"
] | 0 | In a group of rock pocket mice, some individuals have dark fur and others have light fur. In this group, the gene for the fur color trait has two alleles. The allele for light fur (f) is recessive to the allele for dark fur (F).
Alvin is a rock pocket mouse from this group. Alvin has the homozygous genotype ff for the fur color gene. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Alvin's genotype for the fur color gene is ff. Alvin's genotype of ff has only f alleles. The f allele is for light fur. So, Alvin's phenotype for the fur color trait must be light fur.
To check this answer, consider whether Alvin's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for light fur (f) is recessive to the allele for dark fur (F). This means F is a dominant allele, and f is a recessive allele.
Alvin's genotype of ff has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, Alvin's phenotype for the fur color trait must be light fur. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Don't ever get a ride from Ava. Her brother has been driving for only six months, and he's already gotten three speeding tickets. | [
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something",
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good"
] | 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 Ava must be a reckless driver, because her brother is a reckless driver. However, even though Ava's brother is reckless, that doesn't necessarily mean that Ava is, too. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as guilt by association. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
"Your new hairstyle is so boring!" Eric remarked when his sister showed up with a pink-and-blue mohawk. | [
"verbal irony",
"simile"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
Boring shows verbal irony because Eric's sister's hairstyle is not at all boring. |
|
Suppose Edward decides to eat the crackers. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Edward will get to eat the crackers. The crackers will be healthier than the peach cobbler would have been.",
"Edward will give up the chance to eat the peach cobbler. Edward thinks peach cobbler would have tasted better than crackers will."
] | 1 | Edward is deciding whether to eat crackers or peach cobbler for an afternoon snack. He would like to eat something tasty, but he is also trying to be healthier. | 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 Edward wants or needs:
Edward will give up the chance to eat the peach cobbler. Edward thinks peach cobbler would have tasted better than crackers will. |
What does the idiom in this text suggest?
In such an unfamiliar environment, Neil was a fish out of water. | [
"Neil felt out of place.",
"Neil didn't have any friends."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
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 a fish out of water suggests that Neil felt out of place. A fish out of water is someone out of his or her usual, comfortable environment. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Trent investigate with an experiment? | [
"Do rubber balloons stick to a cotton blanket or a wooden door longer after being rubbed on his hair?",
"Do rubber balloons or foil balloons stick to the 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?"
] | 0 | Trent 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, Trent 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! | |
Based on this information, what is this Cepaea snail's phenotype for the shell banding trait? | [
"BB",
"a banded shell"
] | 1 | This passage describes the shell banding trait in Cepaea snails:
In a group of Cepaea snails, some individuals have a banded shell and others have an unbanded shell. In this group, the gene for the shell banding trait has two alleles. The allele B is for a banded shell, and the allele b is for an unbanded shell.
A certain Cepaea snail from this group has a banded shell. This snail has two alleles for a banded shell. | 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 Cepaea snail's observable version of the shell banding trait is a banded shell. So, the snail's phenotype for the shell banding trait is a banded shell. |
Would you find the word hit on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
hard - hearth | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 1 | yes or no | 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 hit is not between the guide words hard - hearth, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Would you find the word aboard on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
afterward - antenna | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | 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 aboard is not between the guide words afterward - antenna, it would not be found on that page. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
The mayoral candidate was widely viewed as quixotic, so it was no surprise that he lost by a substantial margin. | [
"Greek mythology",
"literature"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion quixotic is literature.
Don Quixote is the main character in Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's novel of the same name. Quixote cannot see the world as it truly is; in his overly romanticized view, inns are castles and windmills are giants.
The allusion quixotic means naively idealistic. |
|
Select the one substance that is not a mineral. | [
"Potassium feldspar is formed in nature. It is not made by living things.",
"Burlap is not a pure substance. It is made in a factory.",
"Turquoise is formed in nature. It is a solid."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | earth-science | Rocks and minerals | Identify minerals using properties | Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. A rock can be made of one or more minerals.
Minerals and rocks have the following properties:
Property | Mineral | Rock
It is a solid. | Yes | Yes
It is formed in nature. | Yes | Yes
It is not made by organisms. | Yes | Yes
It is a pure substance. | Yes | No
It has a fixed crystal structure. | Yes | No
You can use these properties to tell whether a substance is a mineral, a rock, or neither.
Look closely at the last three properties:
Minerals and rocks are not made by organisms.
Organisms make their own body parts. For example, snails and clams make their shells. Because they are made by organisms, body parts cannot be minerals or rocks.
Humans are organisms too. So, substances that humans make by hand or in factories are not minerals or rocks.
A mineral is a pure substance, but a rock is not.
A pure substance is made of only one type of matter. Minerals are pure substances, but rocks are not. Instead, all rocks are mixtures.
A mineral has a fixed crystal structure, but a rock does not.
The crystal structure of a substance tells you how the atoms or molecules in the substance are arranged. Different types of minerals have different crystal structures, but all minerals have a fixed crystal structure. This means that the atoms and molecules in different pieces of the same type of mineral are always arranged the same way.
However, rocks do not have a fixed crystal structure. So, the arrangement of atoms or molecules in different pieces of the same type of rock may be different! | Compare the properties of each substance to the properties of minerals. Select the substance whose properties do not match those of minerals.
Turquoise is a mineral.
Potassium feldspar is a mineral.
Burlap is not a pure substance. But all minerals are pure substances.
Burlap is made in a factory. But all minerals are formed in nature.
So, burlap is not a mineral. |
|
Which object has the most thermal energy? | [
"a 5-kilogram bucket of water at a temperature of 66°F",
"a 5-kilogram bucket of water at a temperature of 84°F",
"a 5-kilogram bucket of water at a temperature of 78°F"
] | 1 | The objects are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | physics | Heat and thermal energy | How is temperature related to thermal energy? | All solids, liquids, and gases are made of matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles that are always moving. The energy from the motion of these particles is called thermal energy.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the particles in matter move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher temperature. | All three buckets of water have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 84°F bucket of water is the hottest, it has the most thermal energy. |
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
Dean put on an extra pair of socks this morning because it was so cold. | [
"weather",
"climate"
] | 0 | 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.
Dean put on an extra pair of socks this morning because it was so cold.
This passage tells you about the temperature this morning where Dean lives. It describes the atmosphere at a certain place and time. So, this passage describes the weather. |
Using only these supplies, which question can Jayden investigate with an experiment? | [
"Which of the three types of tomato seeds sprouts the fastest?",
"Which type of soil will cause a certain kind of tomato plant to grow the most fruit?",
"Does a certain kind of tomato plant grow taller when planted in a clay pot or in a plastic pot?"
] | 0 | Jayden and his classmates are growing tomato plants in the school garden. He wonders what factors affect how tomato plants grow. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
three different types of tomato seeds
one bag of potting soil
five identical clay pots
water | closed choice | 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! | |
What do these two changes have in common?
an antacid tablet reacting with water
a penny tarnishing | [
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are chemical changes."
] | 3 | 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.
An antacid tablet reacting with water is a chemical change. When the tablet touches water, the type of matter in the tablet changes and carbon dioxide gas is released. This gas makes the water fizz.
Metal turning less shiny over time is called tarnishing. A penny tarnishing is a chemical change. When air touches the penny, the surface of the penny changes into a different type of matter. This matter makes the penny dull.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which organ allows nutrients from digested food to be absorbed into the body's blood stream? | [
"small intestine",
"trachea",
"esophagus",
"skin"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Animals | Human organs and their functions | |||
What is the mass of a full bag of groceries? | [
"10 ounces",
"10 pounds",
"10 tons"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of mass | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Mass is a measurement of how much matter something contains.
There are many different units of mass. When you are using customary units, mass may be written with units of ounces, pounds, or tons.
There are 16 ounces in 1 pound and 2,000 pounds in 1 ton.
So, 1 ounce is less than 1 pound and much less than 1 ton.
A slice of bread has a mass of about 1 ounce, while a can of beans has a mass of about 1 pound. A small car has a mass of about 1 ton. | The best estimate for the mass of a full bag of groceries is 10 pounds.
10 ounces is too light and 10 tons is too heavy. |
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"After Tyler graduates, he plans to travel around Europe with his brother.",
"Tyler plans to travel around Europe with his brother after he graduates."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | pronouns | Pronouns and antecedents | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The first answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun he could refer to Tyler or his brother.
Tyler plans to travel around Europe with his brother after he graduates.
The second answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. The text has been rewritten so that the meaning is clear.
After Tyler graduates, he plans to travel around Europe with his brother. |
|
What is the mass of a bicycle? | [
"12 grams",
"12 kilograms"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of mass | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Mass is a measurement of how much matter something contains.
There are many different units of mass. When you are using metric units, mass may be written with units of grams or kilograms.
There are 1,000 grams in 1 kilogram. So, 1 gram is much less than 1 kilogram.
A paper clip has a mass of about 1 gram, while a textbook has a mass of about 1 kilogram. | The better estimate for the mass of a bicycle is 12 kilograms.
12 grams is too light. |
Which change better matches the sentence?
Melted rock comes out of a crack in Earth's surface. | [
"volcanic eruption",
"erosion"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | earth-science | Earth events | Classify changes to Earth's surface | |||
Select the bird. | [
"shoebill",
"coral snake",
"poison dart frog",
"bison"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Birds have feathers, two wings, and a beak. | A shoebill is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
Shoebills live in tropical East Africa. Shoebills get their name from their shoe-shaped beaks.
A bison is a mammal. It has fur and feeds its young milk.
Male bison have horns. They can use their horns to defend themselves.
A coral snake is a reptile. It has scaly, waterproof skin.
Coral snakes spend most of their time underground or hiding under leaves.
A poison dart frog is an amphibian. It has moist skin and begins its life in water.
Poison dart frogs come in many bright colors. Their bright color warns other animals that these frogs are poisonous. |
|
Complete the statement.
Rhenium is (). | [
"a compound",
"an elementary substance"
] | 1 | Rhenium is a rare and expensive metal used to make jet engines. The chemical formula for rhenium is Re. | 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 rhenium 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 rhenium is Re. This formula contains one symbol: Re. So, the formula tells you that rhenium is made of one chemical element.
Substances made of only one chemical element are elementary substances. So, rhenium is an elementary substance. |
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"See You Soon,\nFelix",
"See you soon,\nFelix"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
How many articles did Eli write before his publisher offered him a book contract? | [
"interrogative",
"imperative",
"declarative"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement, and it always ends with a period.
The nurse told Mr. Abrams to roll up his sleeve so that she could check his blood pressure.
An interrogative sentence is a question, and it always ends with a question mark.
Do you have any plans for the upcoming weekend?
An imperative sentence is a command. It makes a request or tells someone to do something, and it usually ends with a period. If the command shows strong feeling, it ends with an exclamation point.
For this assignment, use references to support your claims.
Don't drive so quickly in the construction zone!
An exclamatory sentence is like a statement, but it shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.
I can't wait to travel through Europe this summer! | The sentence asks something, and it ends with a question mark. It is an interrogative sentence. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Mr. Arnold has a reputation as a Scrooge, so our club has stopped asking him for donations. | [
"a fable",
"literature"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion Scrooge is literature.
The novella A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, tells the story of the penny-pinching and bitter Ebenezer Scrooge, who values money more than people.
The allusion Scrooge means a person who isn't generous. |
|
Which text uses the word peruse in its traditional sense? | [
"The researcher diligently perused the ancient manuscript, taking care not to damage the brittle pages as he turned them.",
"The researcher quickly perused the manuscript descriptions in the collection database until he found the one he was looking for."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The second text uses peruse in its traditional sense: to examine in detail.
The researcher diligently perused the ancient manuscript, taking care not to damage the brittle pages as he turned them.
The first text uses peruse in its nontraditional sense: to look through in a casual manner.
The researcher quickly perused the manuscript descriptions in the collection database until he found the one he was looking for.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word peruse because it is considered more standard. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
burning food on a stove
grilling a hamburger | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are caused by cooling."
] | 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.
Burning food on a stove is a chemical change. When the food burns, the type of matter in it changes. The food turns black and gives off smoke.
Grilling a hamburger is a chemical change. Heat from the grill causes the matter in the meat to change. Cooked meat and raw meat are different types of matter.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Both changes are caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Aiden has naturally brown hair. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 1 | Hint: Some people dye their hair. But this does not change their natural hair color. | 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. | Humans do not choose their natural hair color. Instead, children get their natural hair color from their parents. So, Aiden's hair color is an inherited trait. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
The Winchester Grill offers a delicious vegetarian sausage entr̩e served with mashed sweet potatoes and arugula salad. | [
"hyperbole",
"oxymoron"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses an oxymoron, a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Vegetarian sausage is a contradiction, because vegetarian food has no meat, and sausages are made with meat. |
|
Choose the poem that uses onomatopoeia. | [
"There's not a day in all the year\nBut holds some hidden pleasure,\nAnd looking back, joys oft appear\nTo brim the past's wide measure.\nBut blessings are like friends, I hold.",
"Light that jingles like anklet chains\nOn bevies of little lithe twinkling feet,\nOr clingles in myriad vibrations\nLike trillions of porcelain\nVases shattering."
] | 1 | From Ella Wheeler Wilcox, "Thanksgiving" and from Lola Ridge, "Manhattan" | closed choice | grade9 | language science | reading-comprehension | Analyzing literature | Identify elements of poetry | Poets often use the sounds of words to create interesting effects and to express moods and emotions. Understanding these elements of poetry can help you better interpret and appreciate poetic forms.
Anaphora is the repetition of words or sequences of words at the beginning of multiple phrases, sentences, or lines.
Out of the cradle endlessly rocking,
Out of the mocking-bird's throat, the musical shuttle,
Out of the Ninth-month midnight
—From Walt Whitman, "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking"
Onomatopoeia is when language sounds like what it talks about.
Sometimes the onomatopoeia uses made-up words:
Tlot-tlot! tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse hoofs ringing clear.
—From Alfred Noyes, "The Highwayman"
Sometimes the onomatopoeia uses real words:
Hark! the honey bee is humming.
—From Mary Howitt, "The Voice of Spring"
Alliteration is when beginning consonant sounds are repeated in words that are close together.
Where the wild men watched and waited
Wolves in the forest, and bears in the bush.
—From Bayard Taylor, "A Night with a Wolf"
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. Often, assonance can create rhymes or near-rhymes within lines.
I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o'er Vales and Hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden Daffodils.
—From William Wordsworth, "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"
Meter is a poem's rhythm, or the pattern of strong and weak syllables. Strong syllables are stressed, while weak syllables are unstressed.
A poem has an iambic meter when the beat sounds like da-DUM. A weak syllable is followed by a strong syllable. Occasionally, a line may begin with a strong syllable.
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.
—From Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "The Eagle"
A poem has a trochaic meter when the beat sounds like DUM-da. A strong syllable is followed by a weak syllable. Occasionally, a line may end in a strong syllable.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
—From Edgar Allen Poe, "The Raven"
Free verse is when a poem has neither a regular rhythm nor a rhyme pattern.
The old bridge has a wrinkled face.
He bends his back
For us to go over.
—From Hilda Conkling, "The Old Bridge"
The syllables in bold are strong. You can see this poem does not have a regular rhythm. It also doesn't have a rhyme pattern. | This poem uses onomatopoeia. It uses language that sounds like what it talks about.
Vases shattering. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Lola gazed at the ancient pug that seemed to sleep all day and noted, "You're an energetic puppy!" | [
"verbal irony",
"pun"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
An energetic puppy shows verbal irony because an old, exhausted dog is far from an energetic puppy. |
|
Each bus takes the same amount of time to stop. Which school bus needs a larger force to come to a stop? | [
"a school bus carrying 600 pounds",
"a school bus carrying 750 pounds"
] | 1 | Kids from two different schools are riding their school buses home. The buses are the same. They are going the same speed. But different numbers of kids are riding in each bus. | 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 school bus that is heavier.
A school bus carrying 750 pounds is heavier than a school bus carrying 600 pounds. So, the school bus carrying 750 pounds needs a larger force to come to a stop in the same amount of time as the other bus. |
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Tucker bought a program for the opera without realizing that the program was in Russian.",
"Tucker bought a program for the opera without realizing that it was in Russian."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns and antecedents | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The first answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun it could refer to the program or the opera.
The second answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. It has been replaced with the program.
Tucker bought a program for the opera without realizing that the program was in Russian. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
mixing sand and gravel
water evaporating from a lake | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 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.
Mixing sand and gravel is a physical change. Together, the sand and gravel make a mixture. But making this mixture does not form a different type of matter.
Water evaporating from a lake is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. The liquid changes into a gas, but 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.
Water evaporating is caused by heating. But mixing sand and gravel is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which object has more thermal energy? | [
"a bowl of oatmeal at a temperature of 105°F",
"a bowl of oatmeal at a temperature of 75°F"
] | 0 | The objects are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Heat and thermal energy | How is temperature related to thermal energy? | All solids, liquids, and gases are made of matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles that are always moving. The energy from the motion of these particles is called thermal energy.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the particles in matter move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher temperature. | The two bowls of oatmeal have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 105°F bowl of oatmeal is hotter than the 75°F bowl of oatmeal, it has more thermal energy. |
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