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Would you find the word pennies on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
playful - pull | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 1 | yes or no | grade2 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since pennies is not between the guide words playful - pull, it would not be found on that page. |
|
What does this Works Cited entry indicate about the cited work?
"Mango Nutrition." www.mango.org. National Mango Board, 2014. Web. 10 May 2015. | [
"It is an email.",
"It was accessed on May 10, 2015.",
"It was published by Mango Nutrition."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | reference-skills | Research skills | Understand a Works Cited entry (MLA 7th edition) | When writing research papers, you will often be asked to follow a particular style guide for your citations. One popular style guide is the Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook.
Below are the basic formats for some common types of Works Cited entries. Consult the MLA Handbook for a complete list.
Books:
Format | Author(s). Book Title. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication.
Example | Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Dover Publications, 1995. Print.
Essays, short stories, or poems in an anthology or book:
Format | Author(s). "Essay, Poem, or Short Story Title." Anthology or Book Title. Ed. Editor Name. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Page Number(s). Medium of Publication.
Example | James, Henry. "The Middle Years." The Oxford Book of American Short Stories. Ed. Joyce Carol Oates. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2013. 116-135. Print.
Magazine and newspaper articles:
Format | Author(s). "Article Title." Title of Magazine or Newspaper Date of Publication: Page(s). Medium of Publication.
Example | Hayes, David J., and James H. Stock. "The Real Cost of Coal." New York Times 24 Mar. 2015: n. pag. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.
Journal articles:
Format | Author(s). "Article Title." Title of Journal Volume.Issue (Year): Page(s). Medium of Publication.
Example | Gillette, Jane, et al. "Human Simulations of Vocabulary Learning." Cognition 73.2 (1999): 135-176. Print.
Web pages:
Format | Author(s). "Page Title." Name of Website. Publisher, Date of Publication. Medium of Publication. Date of Access.
Example | Gunn, Janelle P., and Lauren E. Owens. "How to Slash Sodium from Your Diet." Livestrong.com. Demand Media, 30 Mar. 2015. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
Additional guidelines:
Author Names. The first author's name is written in last name, first name format (Smith, Jane). Additional author names are written in first name last name format (Smith, Jane, and John Doe). If there are more than three authors, the first author's name is followed by "et al.," which stands for and others (e.g., Smith, Jane, et al.).
Medium of Publication. Each entry must include information about what form the content was communicated in. The most common mediums are "Print" and "Web," but other possibilities include "Film," "E-mail," and "Lecture." Whenever the Medium of Publication is "Web," the date of access (the day, month, and year the webpage was viewed) must be listed directly after the Medium of Publication.
Editors and Translators. If a work has an editor or a translator, this information must be added to the Works Cited entry using the appropriate abbreviation. "Ed." stands for edited by. "Trans." stands for translated by.
Missing Information. If a work has no known author, the author section of the citation is simply left out. If a work has no available page numbers, the abbreviation "n. pag." is used instead. If a work has no available publication date, the abbreviation "n.d." is used instead. If a work has no available publisher or no available city of publication, the abbreviation "n.p." is used instead.
| Look closely at the Works Cited entry:
"Mango Nutrition." www.mango.org. National Mango Board, 2014. Web. 10 May 2015.
You can tell that the cited work was accessed on May 10, 2000, by looking at the date of access, which appears after the medium of publication. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Roxanne can ride a motorcycle. | [
"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 ride a motorcycle. Instead, many people learn how to ride. So, riding a motorcycle is an acquired trait. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Jon acquired this trait? | [
"Some scars fade more quickly than others.",
"Jon's scar was caused by an accident. He cut his arm when he fell off his bicycle."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Jon has a scar on his right arm. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
Joy lives in a town with hot summers and freezing cold winters. | [
"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.
Joy lives in a town with hot summers and freezing cold winters.
This passage tells you about the usual temperatures where Joy lives. It does not describe what the weather is like on a particular day. So, this passage describes the climate. |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Tanvi anticipated that the free makeover her friend was promising would turn out to be a Trojan horse. | [
"Greek mythology",
"British history"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | 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 Trojan horse is Greek mythology.
In Greek mythology, the Greek army tricks the Trojan army into taking a large wooden horse into their carefully guarded city. The horse turns out to be filled with Greek warriors who, once inside the city of Troy, open the gates to the Greek army waiting outside.
The allusion Trojan horse means a deceptive or harmful offering. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Bobby persisted despite his friends' attempts to tell him that this was a Gordian knot. | [
"U.S. history",
"ancient legend"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
The protean nature of the disease makes it difficult to diagnose.
The word protean is an allusion to the sea god Proteus in Greek mythology. Because the sea is constantly changing, to describe something as protean suggests that it is variable or in flux. | The source of the allusion Gordian knot is ancient legend.
According to legend, Alexander the Great used his sword to slash an intricate knot by which a chariot was tied to a pole in the city of Gordium.
The allusion Gordian knot means a highly complex problem. |
|
Choose the poem that uses repetition. | [
"The sun's heat will give out in ten million years more—\nAnd he worried about it.\nIt will sure give out then, if it doesn't before—\nAnd he worried about it.",
"I'm not a chicken; I have seen\nFull many a chill September,\nAnd though I was a youngster then,\nThat gale I well remember."
] | 0 | From Oliver Wendell Holmes, "The September Gale" and from Sam Walter Foss, "He Worried about It" | closed choice | grade4 | language science | reading-comprehension | Poetry elements | Identify elements of poetry | Poetry is a special kind of writing. It has many elements that make it different from ordinary writing. Knowing these elements can help you talk about poetry, understand it better, and enjoy it more.
A poem rhymes when it has a pattern of words that end in the same sound.
End rhyme is when the rhymes appear at the end of a poem's lines.
Little Betty Blue,
Lost her holiday shoe.
—From Mother Goose
Internal rhyme is when at least one of the rhyming words appears inside the poem's lines.
Sweet dreams of pleasant streams.
—From William Blake, "A Cradle Song"
Rhythm is the pattern of strong and weak syllables, or stress, in a poem. You can recognize rhythm in a poem by listening to how it sounds. Poems with regular rhythm have a beat, like in music.
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.
—From Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "The Eagle"
The syllables in bold are strong. We say them with more force than the other syllables. In this poem, every weak syllable is followed by a strong syllable. Each line sounds like da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM. To better hear the rhythm, try reading it aloud while clapping on each strong syllable.
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.
Repetition is when words, phrases, or whole lines are repeated.
The dainty flying squirrel
In vest of shining white,
In coat of silver gray,
And vest of shining white.
—Adapted from Mary E. Burt, "The Flying Squirrel"
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"
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" | This poem uses repetition. It repeats words, phrases, or lines.
And he worried about it.
And he worried about it. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Free speech is good not just for the individual, but for all of society. After all, it's in the interest of the community that everyone should be at liberty to express his or her beliefs. | [
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good",
"ad hominem: an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself",
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a broad claim based on too few observations
slippery slope fallacy | the false assumption that a small first step will necessarily lead to extreme consequences
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that free speech is good for society because society is better off when people have free speech. However, the "evidence" is just a restatement of the claim itself. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as circular reasoning. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
bind - bread | [
"boil",
"basket"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since boil is between the guide words bind - bread, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which graduation announcement is more formal? | [
"We are proud to announce the graduation of Lee Ortega.",
"Lee Ortega is graduating, and we couldn't be more proud!"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Audience, purpose, and tone | Which text is most formal? | Informal writing is typically used in casual situations or when communicating with someone you know well. Informal language often expresses familiarity and tends to sound more like speech. It uses more conversational language, such as slang, idioms, abbreviations, imprecise language, and contractions.
Formal writing is typically used in academic and business writing or when writing directly to an authority figure. It tends to be more courteous and impersonal, avoiding overly familiar or conversational language.
Compare the following sentences.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but I think they're awesome.
More formal: Ostriches may be flightless, but they're remarkable runners.
Most formal: Though flightless, ostriches are remarkable runners. | The second graduation announcement is more formal. It uses more ceremonious language (proud to announce). The other graduation announcement uses more conversational language (we couldn't be more proud!). |
|
What is the mass of a small candy bar? | [
"2 pounds",
"2 ounces",
"2 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 small candy bar is 2 ounces.
2 pounds and 2 tons are both too heavy. |
What does the hyperbole in this text suggest?
When you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
—Bruno Mars, "Just the Way You Are" | [
"This person has an attention-getting smile.",
"People always stare at this person's smile."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode! | The text uses hyperbole, an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
The hyperbole the whole world stops and stares for a while suggests that this person has an attention-getting smile. Her smile does not literally cause all the people on earth to stop in their tracks. |
|
What is the volume of a water balloon? | [
"15 cups",
"15 fluid ounces",
"15 gallons"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using customary units, volume may be written in units of fluid ounces, cups, or gallons.
As the diagram shows, there are 8 fluid ounces in 1 cup and 16 cups in 1 gallon. So, 1 fluid ounce is less than 1 cup and much less than 1 gallon.
A glass of milk has a volume of about 8 fluid ounces, or 1 cup. A jug of milk has a volume of 1 gallon. | The best estimate for the volume of a water balloon is 15 fluid ounces.
15 cups and 15 gallons are both too much. |
Which egg has less thermal energy? | [
"the colder egg",
"the hotter egg"
] | 0 | Two eggs are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Thermal energy | How are temperature and mass related to thermal energy? | Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are always moving.
The energy of moving atoms is called thermal energy. The total amount of thermal energy in matter depends on three things: the type of matter, the amount of matter, and how fast the atoms are moving.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the atoms in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature.
What happens if the amount of matter changes? A 1-kilogram brick at 70°F has half as much thermal energy as a 2-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the smaller brick has half as many atoms. So, it has half as much thermal energy. | The two eggs are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the colder egg has less thermal energy. |
What information supports the conclusion that Jenna inherited this trait? | [
"Jenna's biological parents have red hair. Jenna also has red hair.",
"Jenna's neighbor also has straight hair.",
"Jenna's biological mother often wears her straight hair in a ponytail."
] | 2 | Read the description of a trait.
Jenna has straight hair. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Kendall warned her youngest son not to cry wolf while wrestling with his older brother. | [
"a fable",
"Greek mythology"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion cry wolf is a fable.
In the fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," a shepherd boy repeatedly tricks people in his village by falsely claiming that a wolf is coming to eat his flock. When a wolf actually comes and the boy cries for help, nobody believes him or comes to his aid.
The allusion cry wolf means to raise a false alarm. |
|
Select the one substance that is not a mineral. | [
"Molasses is made by humans. It is not a pure substance.",
"Pyrite is formed in nature. It is a pure substance.",
"Sphalerite is formed in nature. It is a pure substance."
] | 0 | 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.
Pyrite is a mineral.
Sphalerite is a mineral.
Molasses is made by humans. But minerals are not made by living things.
Molasses is not a pure substance. But all minerals are pure substances.
So, molasses is not a mineral. |
|
Which excerpt from a student essay is more formal? | [
"In this day and age, nearly all classrooms have access to technology.",
"A lot of kids use computers at school nowadays."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Audience, purpose, and tone | Which text is most formal? | Informal writing is typically used in casual situations or when communicating with someone you know well. Informal language often expresses familiarity and tends to sound more like speech. It uses more conversational language, such as slang, idioms, abbreviations, imprecise language, and contractions.
Formal writing is typically used in academic and business writing or when writing directly to an authority figure. It tends to be more courteous and impersonal, avoiding overly familiar or conversational language.
Compare the following sentences.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but I think they're awesome.
More formal: Ostriches may be flightless, but they're remarkable runners.
Most formal: Though flightless, ostriches are remarkable runners. | The first excerpt from a student essay is more formal. It uses more elevated language (in this day and age, have access to technology). The other excerpt uses imprecise language (a lot, nowadays) and sounds more conversational. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
dodge - dynamite | [
"drive",
"deer"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since drive is between the guide words dodge - dynamite, it would be found on that page. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
baking cookies
burning a candle | [
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Baking cookies is a chemical change. The type of matter in the cookie dough changes when it is baked. The cookie dough turns into cookies!
Burning a candle is a chemical change. Both the wick and the melted wax burn. They react with oxygen in the air and turn into soot, carbon dioxide, and water.
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. |
|
What is the mass of an ear of corn? | [
"15 tons",
"15 ounces",
"15 pounds"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | 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 an ear of corn is 15 ounces.
15 pounds and 15 tons are both too heavy. |
Select the one animal that has all of the mollusk traits listed above. | [
"Earthworms live in soil and have no limbs. Their bodies are soft, cylindrical, and made up of many segments.",
"Banana slugs have a soft body with a flat underside called the foot. Slugs use their muscular foot to move. Banana slugs also have small teeth on their tongue! These file-like teeth help banana slugs eat leaves and dead plants."
] | 1 | Mollusks are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify mollusks:
They have a soft body.
They have a muscular foot or tentacles. Observe the animals and read the descriptions. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Use evidence to classify animals | Scientists sort animals with similar traits into groups. This is called classification. Classification helps scientists learn about how animals live.
How do scientists classify animals? First, they make observations about an animal. Scientists observe the animal's traits, including its body parts and behavior. Then, scientists compare the animal's traits to other animals' traits. Scientists classify animals with similar traits into a group. | To decide if an animal is part of a group, look at the traits of the group.
Mollusks have the following traits:
They have a soft body.
They have a muscular foot or tentacles.
Compare each animal's traits to the group's traits. Select the animal with traits similar to the group's traits.
A banana slug has the following traits:
It has a soft body.
It has a muscular foot.
A banana slug has the traits of a mollusk. A banana slug is a mollusk.
An earthworm has the following traits:
It has a soft, cylindrical body.
It has no limbs.
It is made up of segments.
An earthworm does not have all of the traits of a mollusk. An earthworm is a segmented worm. |
Based on this information, what is Chloe's phenotype for the ear type trait? | [
"curled ears",
"straight ears"
] | 0 | In a group of American curl cats, some individuals have curled ears and others have straight ears. In this group, the gene for the ear type trait has two alleles. The allele for straight ears (e) is recessive to the allele for curled ears (E).
Chloe is an American curl cat from this group. Chloe has the homozygous genotype EE for the ear type 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. | Chloe's genotype for the ear type gene is EE. Chloe's genotype of EE has only E allelles. The E allele is for curled ears. So, Chloe's phenotype for the ear type trait must be curled ears.
To check this answer, consider whether Chloe's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for straight ears (e) is recessive to the allele for curled ears (E). This means E is a dominant allele, and e is a recessive allele.
Chloe's genotype of EE has two dominant alleles. An organism with at least one dominant allele for a gene will have the dominant allele's version of the trait. So, Chloe's phenotype for the ear type trait must be curled ears. |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Jasper's Falstaffian nature makes him stand out at a party. | [
"the Bible",
"Shakespeare"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | 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 Falstaffian is Shakespeare.
Sir John Falstaff, a comical character in several of William Shakespeare's plays, is known for his cheerful sociability and sometimes off-color humor.
The allusion Falstaffian means characterized by joviality and enjoyment of food and drink. |
|
What does the verbal irony in this text suggest?
While waiting for her search results, Whitney exclaimed, "My Internet connection is as speedy as a snail!" | [
"The Internet connection was very slow.",
"The Internet connection was very fast."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
As speedy as a snail suggests that the Internet connection was very slow. A snail is not speedy, and neither was Whitney's Internet connection. |
|
Which sentence is more formal? | [
"When it is hot out, a glass of mint lemonade always hits the spot.",
"On a hot day, mint lemonade is a perfect refreshment."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Author's purpose and tone | Which sentence is more formal? | Formal writing is used for essays, business letters, and reports. The following types of informal language should be avoided in formal writing:
Type | Examples
slang | cool, awesome
idioms | knock your socks off
conversational language | gonna, kinda, yeah
abbreviated language | ASAP, FYI
overly simple or imprecise language | he got some stuff at the store
contractions | can't, won't
Contractions are not as informal as the other types, but they should be used sparingly in formal writing.
Compare the following sentences. The first is informal. The second is formal.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but they're awesome runners.
Formal: Though ostriches are flightless, they are remarkably adept runners.
| The second sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses an idiom (hits the spot).
The first sentence uses formal language in place of the idiom, so it is more formal overall. |
|
Based on this information, what is Fieval's genotype for the fur texture gene? | [
"Ff",
"straight fur"
] | 0 | In a group of Syrian hamsters, some individuals have straight fur and others have wavy fur. In this group, the gene for the fur texture trait has two alleles. The allele F is for straight fur, and the allele f is for wavy fur.
Fieval, a Syrian hamster from this group, has straight fur. Fieval has one allele for straight fur and one allele for wavy fur. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: genotype and phenotype | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait. | An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. Fieval has one allele for straight fur (F) and one allele for wavy fur (f). So, Fieval's genotype for the fur texture gene is Ff. |
Which object has less thermal energy? | [
"a pot of spaghetti sauce at a temperature of 140°F",
"a pot of spaghetti sauce at a temperature of 100°F"
] | 1 | 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 slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature. | The two pots of spaghetti sauce have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 100°F pot of spaghetti sauce is colder than the 140°F pot of spaghetti sauce, it has less thermal energy. |
Select the one true statement. | [
"Vacuoles are outside the nucleus of an animal cell.",
"Mitochondria direct cell activities by sending instructions to different parts of a plant cell.",
"Animal cells can have chloroplasts but do not have a nucleus."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Cells | Compare cells and cell parts | |||
Which phrase has a more negative connotation? | [
"searching for something",
"snooping for something"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | 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. | Snooping for something has a more negative connotation. Snooping is looking for something without permission. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
Please take the dirty towels outside. | [
"interrogative",
"imperative"
] | 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 makes a request, so it is an imperative sentence. Here, it ends with a period. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Although Kevin hasn't worked in years, his mother prefers to say that he's between jobs right now. | [
"oxymoron",
"euphemism"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | 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 a euphemism, a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
Between jobs is an indirect way of saying unemployed. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Perry investigate with an experiment? | [
"Does a big toy car go down the wooden ramp faster than a small toy car?",
"Do toy cars go faster down the ramp made of wood or the ramp made of cardboard?",
"Do toy cars with plastic wheels go faster down the cardboard ramp than toy cars with metal wheels?"
] | 1 | Perry and his sister are building ramps to race their toy cars down. Perry notices that the cars go down some of the ramps faster than others. He wonders what factors affect the cars' speed. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
two identical toy cars
a wooden ramp three feet long and two feet tall
a cardboard ramp three feet long and two feet tall | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Select the elementary substance. | [
"silicon dioxide (SiO2)",
"palladium (Pd)",
"carbon dioxide (CO2)"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | chemistry | Atoms and molecules | Identify 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. | Look at the chemical formula for each substance, and count the number of symbols in the formula. Then, decide if the substance is an elementary substance. The chemical formula for silicon dioxide contains two symbols: Si for silicon and O for oxygen. So, silicon dioxide is made of two chemical elements bonded together. Substances that are made of two or more chemical elements bonded together are compounds. So, silicon dioxide is a compound, not an elementary substance. The chemical formula for palladium contains one symbol: Pd. So, palladium is made of one chemical element. Substances that are made of one chemical element are elementary substances. So, palladium is an elementary substance. The chemical formula for carbon dioxide contains two symbols: C for carbon and O for oxygen. So, carbon dioxide is made of two chemical elements bonded together. Substances that are made of two or more chemical elements bonded together are compounds. So, carbon dioxide is a compound, not an elementary substance. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
On cold days, my teacher drinks hot tea. | [
"present tense",
"future tense",
"past tense"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in present tense. You can tell because it uses a present-tense verb, drinks. The verb ends in -s and tells you about something that is true or happening now. |
|
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"Alexander Graham Bell invented the electric telephone in the 1870s.",
"The telephone was the greatest invention of its time."
] | 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.
Alexander Graham Bell invented the electric telephone in the 1870 s.
It can be proved by reading a book about Alexander Graham Bell.
The second sentence states an opinion.
The telephone was the greatest invention of its time.
Greatest shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about what the greatest invention was. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
cooking an egg
an iceberg melting slowly | [
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 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.
Cooking an egg is a chemical change. The heat causes the matter in the egg to change. Cooked eggs and raw eggs are made of different types of matter.
An iceberg melting is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. An iceberg is made of frozen water. As it melts, the water changes from a solid to a liquid. But a different type of matter is not formed.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
An iceberg melting is a physical change. But cooking an egg is not.
Both are chemical changes.
Cooking an egg is a chemical change. But an iceberg melting is not.
Both are caused by heating.
Both changes are caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"In 1900, the U.S. state with the largest population was New York.",
"Rumors about Mayor Schmidt were spreading like wildfire, so she set the record straight at a press conference."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The first sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction so.
Rumors about Mayor Schmidt were spreading like wildfire, so she set the record straight at a press conference. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Men work together . . . whether they work together or apart.
—Robert Frost, "A Tuft of Flowers" | [
"paradox",
"euphemism"
] | 0 | 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 a paradox, a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Men work together . . . whether they work together or apart at first appears to be contradictory, as it seems impossible to work together and work apart at the same time. However, it contains some truth: people may feel a sense of unity and camaraderie with others even while on their own. |
|
What is the volume of a bottle of dish soap? | [
"2 cups",
"2 fluid ounces",
"2 gallons"
] | 0 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using customary units, volume may be written in units of fluid ounces, cups, or gallons.
As the diagram shows, there are 8 fluid ounces in 1 cup and 16 cups in 1 gallon. So, 1 fluid ounce is less than 1 cup and much less than 1 gallon.
A glass of milk has a volume of about 8 fluid ounces, or 1 cup. A jug of milk has a volume of 1 gallon. | The best estimate for the volume of a bottle of dish soap is 2 cups.
2 fluid ounces is too little and 2 gallons is too much. |
Which tense does the sentence use?
Scientists will measure the rainfall in Allenville. | [
"future tense",
"past tense",
"present tense"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, measure. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Select the part whose main job is to control which substances enter and leave a plant cell. | [
"cell membrane",
"cytoplasm",
"mitochondria",
"vacuole"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Cells | Identify functions of plant cell parts | Plant cells are made up of many different parts. Each cell part has a function that helps the cell survive and grow.
Some cell parts are called organelles. Organelles are cell structures that are surrounded by their own membranes. Here are some of the organelles in plant cells:
Chloroplasts and mitochondria work together to help the cell get the energy it needs. The chloroplasts use photosynthesis to make sugar. The mitochondria break down this sugar and release energy that the cell can use for all of its activities.
The nucleus directs cell activities by sending instructions to different parts of the cell. The nucleus contains structures called chromosomes. The chromosomes are made mostly of hereditary material called DNA. DNA contains information that the cell uses for growth and activities. These instructions tell ribosomes how to build molecules called proteins, which make up cell structures and help chemical reactions happen in the cell.
The endoplasmic reticulum is an organelle that helps ribosomes build proteins. The nucleus sends instructions for making proteins to ribosomes. Ribosomes can attach to the endoplamic reticulum. The endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes use these instructions to make proteins that the cell needs to survive and grow.
After proteins are made in the endoplasmic reticulum, they can be transferred to the Golgi. The Golgi is an organelle made up of flat, stacked membranes. The Golgi sorts and packages proteins and other substances. Then, the Golgi sends these substances to different parts of the cell. Some of these substances are sent to the cell membrane and released from the cell.
In plant cells, the vacuole stores waste, water, and nutrients such as sugar. Most plant cells have one vacuole.
Other cell parts are not surrounded by their own membranes. These cell parts are not organelles.
The cell wall is the cell's tough outer covering. It gives the cell strength and stiffness and helps the cell keep its shape.
On the inside of the cell wall is a thin layer called the cell membrane. This layer is a membrane, but it does not have a membrane surrounding it, so it is not an organelle. The cell membrane controls which substances enter and leave the cell.
The cytoplasm is a thick liquid that fills the space inside the cell. The cytoplasm also helps the cell keep its shape and supports the other cell parts. | The cell membrane is a thin layer that wraps around the cytoplasm.
In a plant cell, the cell wall surrounds the cell membrane. Most substances can pass through the cell wall. But when these substances reach the cell membrane, only some of them are able to enter the cell. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Jackie investigate with an experiment? | [
"Does a rubber ball travel farther when launched from a metal catapult or from a wooden catapult?",
"Does a catapult with a longer arm launch a rubber ball farther than a catapult with a shorter arm?",
"Does a heavier ball travel farther than a lighter ball when launched from a catapult?"
] | 1 | Jackie visits a museum about ancient Greece. She notices an exhibit with models of wooden catapults that were used to launch large rocks across battlefields. She wonders what factors affect how far a catapult can launch an object. So, she decides to design an experiment. She has the following supplies available:
a wooden catapult with a 10-inch-long arm
a wooden catapult with a five-inch-long arm
two identical rubber balls | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"Monarch butterflies have orange wings with black and white markings.",
"It is wrong to catch monarch butterflies or any other insect."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Opinion writing | Distinguish facts from opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true.
The month of July has more days than the month of June.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at a calendar and counting the number of days in each month.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
July is a better month than June for camping.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about which month is "better" for camping. | The first sentence states a fact.
Monarch butterflies have orange wings with black and white markings.
It can be proved by observing monarch butterflies.
The second sentence states an opinion.
It is wrong to catch monarch butterflies or any other insect.
Wrong shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about what is right or wrong. |
|
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"Earth is the most important planet in the solar system.",
"Our solar system contains eight planets."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Opinion writing | Distinguish facts from opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true.
The month of July has more days than the month of June.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at a calendar and counting the number of days in each month.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
July is a better month than June for camping.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about which month is "better" for camping. | The second sentence states a fact.
Our solar system contains eight planets.
It can be proved by checking a drawing of the solar system.
The first sentence states an opinion.
Earth is the most important planet in the solar system.
Most important shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about which planet is the most important. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
carving a piece of wood
picking up a paper clip with a magnet | [
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling."
] | 2 | 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.
Carving a piece of wood is a physical change. The wood changes shape, but it is still made of the same type of matter.
Picking up a paper clip with a magnet is a physical change. The paper clip sticks to the magnet, but it is still made of the same type of matter.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. No new matter is created.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. They are not chemical changes.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Clare acquired this trait? | [
"Clare knits sweaters using cotton, wool, and other types of yarn.",
"Clare learned how to knit in an after school program."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Clare knows how to knit sweaters. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Although Josh hasn't worked in years, his mother prefers to say that he's between jobs right now. | [
"paradox",
"euphemism"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses a euphemism, a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
Between jobs is an indirect way of saying unemployed. |
|
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
The music box () the baby to sleep with its sweet melody. | [
"sang",
"put"
] | 0 | 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 sang. It describes the music box as if it were a person with a sweet voice. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
I thought I'd forgotten how to play with a boomerang, but then it came back to me. | [
"pun",
"personification"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: review | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses a pun, a word or phrase that humorously suggests more than one meaning.
It came back to me means that I remembered something. It also means that the boomerang came back after it was thrown. |
|
Which change best matches the sentence?
Many pieces of rock fall down a hill. | [
"drought",
"deposition",
"landslide"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | earth-science | Earth events | Classify changes to Earth's surface II | |||
What does the idiom in this text suggest?
"Speak of the devil!" Joy declared when Kenneth strolled into the room. | [
"Joy didn't trust Kenneth.",
"Joy had just been speaking about Kenneth."
] | 1 | 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 speak of the devil suggests that Joy had just been speaking about Kenneth. People say this when the person they've just been speaking about coincidentally arrives, as if summoned. |
|
Complete the statement.
During this chemical reaction, the air around the reaction becomes (). | [
"colder",
"warmer"
] | 1 | When a chemical reaction absorbs or releases thermal energy, the reaction causes a change in temperature. Read the passage about a chemical reaction that absorbs or releases thermal energy. Then, follow the instructions below.
Some chemical substances explode under pressure. One such substance, nitrogen triiodide (NI3), explodes at even the lightest touch! When this happens, the nitrogen triiodide breaks down to form nitrogen (N2) and iodine (I2). During this reaction, chemical energy is converted to an enormous amount of thermal energy, which is transferred into the surroundings. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Describe energy changes in chemical reactions | During a chemical reaction, thermal energy is absorbed or released as heat. This transfer of thermal energy changes the temperature of the reaction's surroundings. The surroundings are everything around the reaction, such as the solution that the reaction takes place in or the air nearby.
Some reactions release thermal energy into the surroundings. This thermal energy is converted from chemical energy, which is provided by the molecules in the reaction. As the thermal energy moves out of the reaction and into the surroundings, the temperature of the surroundings increases.
Some reactions absorb thermal energy from the surroundings. This thermal energy is converted into chemical energy during the reaction. As the thermal energy moves out of the surroundings and into the reaction, the temperature of the surroundings decreases. | To determine whether the air around the reaction becomes warmer or colder, look for the text that describes the movement of thermal energy during the reaction.Some chemical substances explode under pressure. One such substance, nitrogen triiodide (NI3), explodes at even the lightest touch! When this happens, the nitrogen triiodide breaks down to form nitrogen (N2) and iodine (I2). During this reaction, chemical energy is converted to an enormous amount of thermal energy, which is transferred into the surroundings.The underlined text tells you that thermal energy is transferred into the surroundings. Because thermal energy moves out of the reaction and into the surroundings, the temperature of the surroundings increases.The surroundings include the air around the reaction. So, the air around the reaction becomes warmer. |
Which is a complete sentence? | [
"London is the capital city of England.",
"The calendar will help her plan ahead, she will circle important days."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on? | A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. It has both a subject and a verb.
My friends walk along the path.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It is usually missing a subject or a verb.
Knows the answer.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a subject.
Who knows the answer? She knows the answer.
The bright red car.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a verb.
What did the bright red car do? The bright red car stopped.
A run-on sentence is made up of two sentences that are joined without end punctuation or with just a comma.
I knocked on the door it opened.
It started raining, we ran inside.
To fix a run-on sentence, separate it into two sentences. Add end punctuation after the first sentence, and capitalize the second sentence.
I knocked on the door. It opened.
It started raining. We ran inside.
You can also fix a run-on sentence by rewriting it as a compound sentence. A compound sentence is two sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
I knocked on the door, and it opened.
It started raining, so we ran inside. | London is the capital city of England is a complete sentence. The subject is London, and the verb is is. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
From the look on her face, Helen is carrying an albatross around her neck. | [
"Egyptian history",
"a poem"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion an albatross around her neck is a poem.
In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," a sailor shoots and kills an albatross, an action that curses the ship and crew. As his crew members die, the Ancient Mariner feels his guilt hanging like the albatross around his neck.
The allusion an albatross around her neck means a burden a person must bear. |
|
Based on this information, what is Moxie's phenotype for the coat pattern trait? | [
"solid coloring",
"white spots"
] | 1 | In a group of cows, some individuals have solid coloring and others have white spots. In this group, the gene for the coat pattern trait has two alleles. The allele for solid coloring (A) is dominant over the allele for white spots (a).
Moxie is a cow from this group. Moxie has the homozygous genotype aa for the coat pattern gene. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Moxie's genotype for the coat pattern gene is aa. Moxie's genotype of aa has only a alleles. The a allele is for white spots. So, Moxie's phenotype for the coat pattern trait must be white spots.
To check this answer, consider whether Moxie's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for solid coloring (A) is dominant over the allele for white spots (a). This means A is a dominant allele, and a is a recessive allele.
Moxie's genotype of aa has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, Moxie's phenotype for the coat pattern trait must be white spots. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
beast - brownie | [
"born",
"bundle"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since born is between the guide words beast - brownie, it would be found on that page. |
|
What is the mass of a passenger airplane? | [
"50 pounds",
"50 tons",
"50 ounces"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | 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 passenger airplane is 50 tons.
50 ounces and 50 pounds are both too light. |
What is the mass of a bicycle? | [
"8 grams",
"8 kilograms"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of mass | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Mass is a measurement of how much matter something contains.
There are many different units of mass. When you are using metric units, mass may be written with units of grams or kilograms.
There are 1,000 grams in 1 kilogram. So, 1 gram is much less than 1 kilogram.
A paper clip has a mass of about 1 gram, while a textbook has a mass of about 1 kilogram. | The better estimate for the mass of a bicycle is 8 kilograms.
8 grams is too light. |
How long is a tennis racket? | [
"20 miles",
"20 yards",
"20 feet",
"20 inches"
] | 3 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using customary units, length may be written with units of inches, feet, yards, or miles.
There are 12 inches in 1 foot, and 3 feet in 1 yard. There are 5,280 feet in 1 mile.
A football is about 1 foot long. A football field is 100 yards long. | The best estimate for the length of a tennis racket is 20 inches.
20 feet, 20 yards, and 20 miles are all too long. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
recently - ruby | [
"rain",
"root"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since root is between the guide words recently - ruby, it would be found on that page. |
|
Based on this information, what is this plant's phenotype for the fruit sheen trait? | [
"glossy fruit",
"dull fruit"
] | 0 | In a group of cucumber plants, some individuals have dull fruit and others have glossy fruit. In this group, the gene for the fruit sheen trait has two alleles. The allele for dull fruit (F) is dominant over the allele for glossy fruit (f).
A certain cucumber plant from this group has the homozygous genotype ff for the fruit sheen gene. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | The cucumber plant's genotype for the fruit sheen gene is ff. The cucumber plant's genotype of ff has only f alleles. The f allele is for glossy fruit. So, the cucumber plant's phenotype for the fruit sheen trait must be glossy fruit.
To check this answer, consider whether the cucumber plant's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for dull fruit (F) is dominant over the allele for glossy fruit (f). This means F is a dominant allele, and f is a recessive allele.
The cucumber plant'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, the cucumber plant's phenotype for the fruit sheen trait must be glossy fruit. |
Complete the statement.
Copper is (). | [
"an elementary substance",
"a compound"
] | 0 | Copper is a metal that is used in electrical wires and in coins. The chemical formula for copper is Cu. | 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 copper 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 copper is Cu. This formula contains one symbol: Cu. So, the formula tells you that copper is made of one chemical element.
Substances made of only one chemical element are elementary substances. So, copper is an elementary substance. |
Read the following excerpt from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her narrative voice?
During our last game, our pitcher Andy suddenly grabbed his wrist after throwing a fastball. Coach Becker asked him if he was OK, and Andy said that it hurt. None of us knew what was wrong with him and he was whisked off to the doctor, who ultimately diagnosed a forearm strain and wrist tendinitis. After three weeks of rehabilitation, Andy finally returned. Coach Becker said he was glad Andy was back, and Andy said he was happy and relieved. | [
"by removing biased language",
"by adding dialogue",
"by using active voice"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Editing and revising | Suggest appropriate revisions | During peer review, you read and respond to a fellow student's writing. While there are many methods and strategies that you can use for reviewing a text, it is generally helpful to frame your suggestions in concrete and constructive ways and to consider the following areas for revision:
Ideas and development: Does the writer express a clear idea and develop it with evidence, examples, or analysis?
Organization: Does the writer order ideas in a clear, logical way so that they build on one another and are easy to follow?
Voice: Does the writer maintain an appropriate voice, such as a formal and objective voice in an academic essay or an engaging and expressive voice in a narrative essay?
Sentence fluency: Does the writer use sentences that vary in structure and length to create a sense of rhythm and flow within and between sentences, or does the writing sound choppy, rambling, or repetitive?
Word choice: Does the writer use words accurately and precisely to create clear, effective, and engaging writing?
Grammar and mechanics: Does the writer follow appropriate conventions, using accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar to create writing that is correct and easy to read? | The writer could best improve his or her narrative voice by adding dialogue.
For example, the writer could replace the underlined sentences with exchanges between Coach Becker and Andy.
During our last game, our pitcher Andy suddenly grabbed his wrist after throwing a fastball. Coach Becker asked him if he was OK, and Andy said that it hurt. None of us knew what was wrong with him and he was whisked off to the doctor, who ultimately diagnosed a forearm strain and wrist tendinitis. After three weeks of rehabilitation, Andy finally returned. Coach Becker said he was glad Andy was back, and Andy said he was happy and relieved. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear Grandma Julia,",
"Dear grandma Julia,"
] | 0 | 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 greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Grandma Julia is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"The Vikings came from what are now the countries of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.",
"The Vikings carried out their raids in a swift, vicious fashion."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | social science | civics | Social studies skills | Identify facts and opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true. Facts can be proved by observing, measuring, or studying information.
The flag of the United States has 13 stripes.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at the flag and counting the number of stripes.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
The flag of the United States is easy to draw.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about what makes a flag "easy" to draw. | The second sentence states a fact.
The Vikings came from what are now the countries of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
It can be proved by reading a history book about Vikings.
The first sentence states an opinion.
The Vikings carried out their raids in a swift, vicious fashion.
Vicious shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about what makes a raid vicious. |
|
Complete the sentence.
Boiling an egg is a (). | [
"physical change",
"chemical 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. | Boiling an egg is a chemical change. The heat causes the matter in the egg to change. Cooked eggs and raw eggs are made of different types of matter. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Diana investigate with an experiment? | [
"Do small rocks or large rocks skip more times when thrown across the river?",
"Do round rocks or flat rocks skip more times when thrown across the river?",
"Do rocks skip more times when thrown across a river or across a pond?"
] | 0 | Diana likes to skip rocks at the river. She notices that some of the rocks she throws skip off the surface of the water many times, while others skip once and then sink. She wonders what factors affect how well rocks skip on the water. So, she decides to design an experiment. She has the following supplies available:
10 small flat rocks
10 large flat rocks
access to the river by her school | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
There was a clear consensus in the Mueller family that they should put their dog to sleep, rather than let him continue to suffer. | [
"euphemism",
"paradox"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses a euphemism, a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
Put their dog to sleep is a more indirect way of saying have the veterinarian kill their dog. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear Dr. mckinney,",
"Dear Dr. McKinney,"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | capitalization | Capitalization | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Dr. McKinney is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
Which is smoother? | [
"nylon shorts",
"sandpaper"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. | Smooth is a property. A smooth material is not rough or bumpy.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine touching the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the nylon shorts are smoother. If you touch nylon fabric, it will not feel rough. |
|
Based on this information, what is Flounder's phenotype for the eye color trait? | [
"red eyes",
"black eyes"
] | 1 | In a group of koi fish, some individuals have red eyes and others have black eyes. In this group, the gene for the eye color trait has two alleles. The allele for red eyes (E) is dominant over the allele for black eyes (e).
Flounder is a koi fish from this group. Flounder has the homozygous genotype ee for the eye color gene. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Flounder's genotype for the eye color gene is ee. Flounder's genotype of ee has only e alleles. The e allele is for black eyes. So, Flounder's phenotype for the eye color trait must be black eyes.
To check this answer, consider whether Flounder's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for red eyes (E) is dominant over the allele for black eyes (e). This means E is a dominant allele, and e is a recessive allele.
Flounder's genotype of ee has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, Flounder's phenotype for the eye color trait must be black eyes. |
What information supports the conclusion that Greta acquired this trait? | [
"Greta likes to photograph birds at the zoo.",
"Greta was not born knowing how to identify different bird calls. She had to learn this skill."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Greta is good at identifying birds from their calls. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
Which object has more thermal energy? | [
"a 200-gram cup of black tea at a temperature of 60°C",
"a 200-gram cup of black tea at a temperature of 40°C"
] | 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 cups of black tea have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 60°C cup of black tea is hotter than the 40°C cup of black tea, it has more thermal energy. |
Which text uses the word terribly in its traditional sense? | [
"Paul shivered terribly as he gazed at the snow-clad slope. After calming his nerves, he began his descent.",
"Paul shivered as he gazed at the terribly steep, snowy slope. After calming his nerves, he began his descent."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The first text uses terribly in its traditional sense: in a terrible manner.
Paul shivered terribly as he gazed at the snow-clad slope. After calming his nerves, he began his descent.
The second text uses terribly in its nontraditional sense: extremely; very.
Paul shivered as he gazed at the terribly steep, snowy slope. After calming his nerves, he began his descent.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word terribly because it is considered more standard. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Linda inherited this trait? | [
"Linda's parents were born with wavy hair. They passed down this trait to Linda.",
"Linda and her mother both have short hair."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Linda has wavy hair. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Paula has five toes on each foot. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 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. | Most humans are born with five toes on each foot. So, having five toes is an inherited trait. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Much to our shock, Cody chose to turn the other cheek when Erica insulted him in a meeting. | [
"the Bible",
"U.S. history"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion turn the other cheek is the Bible.
In the Bible, Jesus counsels his followers to resist retaliation. He says that if they are struck on the right cheek, they shouldn't lash out; instead, they should turn the other cheek toward their attacker.
The allusion turn the other cheek means to respond without aggression. |
|
Which change better matches the sentence?
A forest catches fire and burns. | [
"earthquake",
"wildfire"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | earth-science | Earth events | Classify changes to Earth's surface | |||
Which word does not rhyme? | [
"game",
"save",
"gave"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | phonological-awareness | Rhyming | Which word does not rhyme? | Rhyming words are words that end with the same sound.
The words tip and slip rhyme. They both end with the same sound.
The words meet and treat also rhyme. They both end with the same sound, even though the sound has two different spellings.
The words tip and meet don't rhyme. They end with different sounds. | The words save and gave rhyme. They both end with the ave sound.
The word game does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
Which cherry pie has less thermal energy? | [
"the colder cherry pie",
"the hotter cherry pie"
] | 0 | Two cherry pies are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Thermal energy | How are temperature and mass related to thermal energy? | Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are always moving.
The energy of moving atoms is called thermal energy. The total amount of thermal energy in matter depends on three things: the type of matter, the amount of matter, and how fast the atoms are moving.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the atoms in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature.
What happens if the amount of matter changes? A 1-kilogram brick at 70°F has half as much thermal energy as a 2-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the smaller brick has half as many atoms. So, it has half as much thermal energy. | The two cherry pies are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the colder cherry pie has less thermal energy. |
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
The lone tumbleweed () across the desert road. | [
"rolled",
"ran"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | writing-strategies | Creative techniques | Use personification | Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things. It is a figure of speech that can be used to make writing more interesting or to emphasize a point.
The trees danced in the wind.
The word danced describes the trees as if they were people. Unlike people, however, trees can't actually dance. Instead, the personification suggests that the trees are moving. | Complete the sentence with the word ran. It describes the tumbleweed as if it were an active person. |
|
How long is a long-distance running race? | [
"24 feet",
"24 miles"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of distance | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that a pencil is 8 long. You might be thinking, 8 what? Is the pencil 8 inches long? 8 feet? 8 miles?
The number 8 on its own does not give you much information about the length of the pencil. That is because the units are missing.
Now look at the drawing of the pencil and the ruler. The ruler shows that the units are inches. So, the length of the pencil is 8 inches.
There are 12 inches in 1 foot. So, 1 inch is much shorter than 1 foot.
There are 3 feet in 1 yard. So, 1 foot is shorter than 1 yard. | The better estimate for the length of a long-distance running race is 24 miles.
24 feet is too short. |
Using only these supplies, which question can Clarence investigate with an experiment? | [
"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?",
"Which of the three types of tomato seeds sprouts the fastest?"
] | 2 | Clarence and his classmates are growing tomato plants in the school garden. He wonders what factors affect how tomato plants grow. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
three different types of tomato seeds
one bag of potting soil
five identical clay pots
water | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
What is the mass of a dinner fork? | [
"2 tons",
"2 pounds",
"2 ounces"
] | 2 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | 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 dinner fork is 2 ounces.
2 pounds and 2 tons are both too heavy. |
Complete the sentences.
The Fifth Amendment talks about the rights of people who are accused of crimes. For example, anyone accused of a crime has the right to remain silent. The amendment also says that a person can () be put on trial for the same crime more than once. | [
"always",
"never",
"sometimes"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | social science | civics | Government | The Bill of Rights | The Fifth Amendment says that anyone accused of a crime has the right to remain silent. The amendment also says that a person can never be put on trial for the same crime more than once. Putting a person on trial for the same crime twice is called double jeopardy. To be in jeopardy is to be in danger of losing something, such as life or freedom. In the United States, no one can ever be put in double jeopardy. Part of the text of the Fifth Amendment is below. It never uses the phrase "double jeopardy." Where do you think the phrase comes from? Nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself. |
||
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Mr. Hancock argues that we need to do more to prevent workplace injuries and fatalities. I doubt that someone so socially awkward would know a thing about office safety. | [
"ad hominem: a personal attack against one's opponent",
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against"
] | 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 being socially awkward determines knowledge of workplace safety. This is a personal attack that isn't relevant to Mr. Hancock's desire to prevent workplace injuries. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as ad hominem. |
|
Select the solid. | [
"empty cup",
"wet paint",
"milk"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | States of matter | Identify solids and liquids | Solid and liquid are states of matter. Matter is anything that takes up space. Matter can come in different states, or forms.
When matter is a solid, it has a shape of its own.
Some solids can be bent or broken easily. Others are hard to bend or break.
A glass cup is a solid. A sock is also a solid.
When matter is a liquid, it takes the shape of its container.
Think about pouring a liquid from a cup into a bottle. The shape of the liquid is different in the cup than in the bottle. But the liquid still takes up the same amount of space.
Juice is a liquid. Honey is also a liquid. | ||
What does the verbal irony in this text suggest?
"Someone had better turn on the heat," Audrey said, sweat glistening on her face. | [
"The temperature was too warm.",
"The temperature was too cool."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
Someone had better turn on the heat ironically suggests that the temperature was too warm. Audrey did not think that more heat was needed; she was already sweating. |
|
Last year, there were seven men's clothing stores on Main Street in Washington. This year, there are only three. What probably happened to the overall supply of men's shirts in Washington? | [
"The supply probably went down.",
"The supply probably went up."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | When four men's clothing stores closed on Main Street, the number of suppliers went down. There were fewer stores selling men's shirts. So, the supply of men's shirts probably went down. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
Emilia will make a healthy meal for us. | [
"future tense",
"present tense",
"past tense"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, make. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
Passengers will board the plane shortly. | [
"past tense",
"future tense",
"present tense"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, board. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Select the one substance that is not a mineral. | [
"Native gold is a solid. It is a pure substance.",
"A turtle shell is made by a living thing. It is a solid.",
"Magnetite is a pure substance. It is formed in nature."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | 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.
A turtle shell is made by a living thing. But minerals are not made by living things.
So, a turtle shell is not a mineral.
Native gold is a mineral.
Magnetite is a mineral. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
It's only forty miles to the ranch as the crow flies, but on the winding local roads, it takes about two hours. | [
"onomatopoeia",
"idiom"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: review | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses an idiom, an expression that cannot be understood literally.
As the crow flies means in a straight line. |
|
The students start rolling their backpacks at the same speed. Which backpack is pulled with a larger force? | [
"a backpack carrying 5 pounds",
"a backpack carrying 7 pounds"
] | 1 | Two students get ready to leave school. The students have the same rolling backpacks. Each student has different books in her backpack. | 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 backpack that is heavier.
A backpack carrying 7 pounds is heavier than a backpack carrying 5 pounds. So, the backpack carrying 7 pounds needs to be pulled with a larger force to start rolling at the same speed as the other backpack. |
Compare the motion of three bicycles. Which bicycle was moving at the lowest speed? | [
"a bicycle that moved 245kilometers east in 5hours",
"a bicycle that moved 70kilometers north in 5hours",
"a bicycle that moved 230kilometers north in 5hours"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the kilometer.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving the slowest will go the shortest distance in that time. It is moving at the lowest speed. | Look at the distance each bicycle moved and the time it took to move that distance. The direction each bicycle moved does not affect its speed.
Notice that each bicycle moved for 5 hours. The bicycle that moved 70 kilometers moved the shortest distance in that time. So, that bicycle must have moved at the lowest speed. |
|
How long does it take to cook a turkey in the oven? | [
"4 seconds",
"4 hours"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose units of time | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that the bus leaves in 7. You might be thinking, 7 what? Does the bus leave in 7 minutes? 7 seconds?
The number 7 on its own does not give you much information about when the bus is leaving. That is because the units are missing.
Time is usually measured in units of seconds, minutes, or hours. It takes about 1 second to sneeze and 1 minute to get dressed in the morning. It takes about 1 hour to bake a pie in the oven.
There are 60 seconds in 1 minute. So, 1 second is much less than 1 minute.
There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. So, 1 minute is much less than 1 hour. | The better estimate for how long it takes to cook a turkey in the oven is 4 hours.
4 seconds is too fast. |
Which is softer? | [
"metal trombone",
"nylon swim shorts"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. | Soft is a property. A soft material changes shape when you press on it.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine touching the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the nylon swim shorts are softer. Nylon fabric changes shape when you press on it. |
|
Assume all other forces on Oscar are balanced. Which statement describes the forces on Oscar? | [
"The forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on Oscar.",
"The forces are balanced, so there is no net force on Oscar."
] | 1 | Oscar is standing on a diving board at the pool. Earth's gravity is pulling down on Oscar with a force of 400N. The diving board is pushing up on Oscar with a force of 400N. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | physics | Velocity, acceleration, and forces | Balanced and unbalanced forces | A force is a push or a pull that acts on an object. Every force has a direction and a magnitude, or strength. If two forces act on an object in opposite directions, the forces are called opposing forces.
When opposing forces have the same magnitude, they are balanced. If all the forces on an object are balanced, there is no net force on the object.
When opposing forces have different magnitudes, the forces are unbalanced. If any forces on an object are unbalanced, there is a net force on the object. | To determine if there is a net force on Oscar, look at the forces:
Earth's gravity is pulling Oscar down with a force of 400 N.
The diving board is pushing Oscar up with a force of 400 N.
The forces are in opposite directions, and the forces have the same magnitude: 400 N. This means that the forces are balanced, so there is no net force on Oscar. |
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