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Select the animal that has a backbone. | [
"stork",
"bumble bee"
] | 0 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians all have backbones. | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify animals with and without backbones | Some animals have a backbone. The backbone is made of many bones in an animal's back. An animal's backbone helps connect the different parts of its body. In the drawings below, each animal's backbone is colored orange.
Other animals do not have a backbone. In fact, these animals don't have any bones! Some animals without backbones have a hard outer cover. Other animals have a soft body. | A stork is a bird. Like other birds, a stork has a backbone.
A bumble bee is an insect. Like other insects, a bumble bee does not have a backbone. It has a hard outer cover. |
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"Zebras look funny when they chew grass.",
"A zebra's teeth keep growing as long as the zebra lives."
] | 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 first sentence states a fact.
A zebra's teeth keep growing as long as the zebra lives.
It can be proved by looking up information about zebras.
The second sentence states an opinion.
Zebras look funny when they chew grass.
Funny shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about how zebras look when they eat. |
|
Which is a run-on sentence? | [
"Jamal's favorite season is fall it is cool outside.",
"Wanda spilled apple juice on the carpet."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is it a complete sentence 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 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. | Jamal's favorite season is fall it is cool outside is a run-on sentence. It has two sentences that are joined without end punctuation: Jamal's favorite season is fall and It is cool outside. |
|
Based on this information, what is this ornamental gourd plant's phenotype for the fruit color trait? | [
"ff",
"green fruit"
] | 1 | In a group of ornamental gourd plants, some individuals have yellow fruit and others have green fruit. In this group, the gene for the fruit color trait has two alleles. The allele F is for yellow fruit, and the allele f is for green fruit.
A certain ornamental gourd plant from this group has green fruit. This plant has two alleles for green fruit. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: genotype and phenotype | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait. | An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait. The ornamental gourd plant's observable version of the fruit color trait is green fruit. So, the plant's phenotype for the fruit color trait is green fruit. |
Which orange has less thermal energy? | [
"the colder orange",
"the hotter orange"
] | 0 | Two oranges 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 2-kilogram brick at 70°F has twice as much thermal energy as a 1-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the larger brick has twice as many atoms. So, it has twice as much thermal energy. | The two oranges are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the colder orange has less thermal energy. |
What is the text's most likely purpose? | [
"to persuade",
"to inform",
"to entertain"
] | 0 | Read the text below.
Don't get caught in the rain! Buy two umbrellas and get a third for free! You'll love our new colors and patterns. | closed choice | grade4 | language science | writing-strategies | Author's purpose | Identify the purpose of a text | Authors write texts for different purposes, or reasons. Common purposes for writing are to persuade, to inform, or to entertain readers.
Authors persuade by convincing readers to believe or do something.
An advertisement tries to convince readers to buy a product.
A political poster tries to convince readers to vote for someone.
Authors inform by telling readers about a topic or process.
A news article explains something that happened.
A recipe describes how to cook a dish.
Authors entertain by giving readers something to enjoy.
A joke tries to make readers laugh.
A poem tries to please readers. | The text is an advertisement. Its purpose is to persuade. |
How long does it take to tie your shoes? | [
"25 hours",
"25 seconds"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade2 | 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 tie your shoes is 25 seconds.
25 hours is too slow. |
Based on this information, what is Zuri's phenotype for the coat pattern trait? | [
"a spotted coat",
"a black coat"
] | 1 | In a group of leopards, some individuals have a spotted coat and others have a black coat. In this group, the gene for the coat pattern trait has two alleles. The allele for a black coat (a) is recessive to the allele for a spotted coat (A).
Zuri is a leopard from this group. Zuri 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. | Zuri's genotype for the coat pattern gene is aa. Zuri's genotype of aa has only a alleles. The a allele is for a black coat. So, Zuri's phenotype for the coat pattern trait must be a black coat.
To check this answer, consider whether Zuri's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for a black coat (a) is recessive to the allele for a spotted coat (A). This means A is a dominant allele, and a is a recessive allele.
Zuri'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, Zuri's phenotype for the coat pattern trait must be a black coat. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Mr. Castro 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",
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | a personal attack meant to discredit one's opponent
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
red herring | the use of a completely unrelated topic in support of a claim
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a very broad claim based on very little evidence
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that being socially awkward determines knowledge of workplace safety. This is a personal attack that isn't relevant to Mr. Castro's desire to prevent workplace injuries. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as ad hominem. |
|
Is this a sentence fragment?
A new detective series by J. K. Rowling published under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith after she completed her seven-volume Harry Potter series. | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Identify sentence fragments | A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought.
Rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing a subject. It doesn't tell who is rehearsing.
The band I'm in.
This fragment is missing a verb. It doesn't tell what the band I'm in is doing.
Because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing an independent clause. It doesn't tell what happened because of the concert. | This is a sentence fragment. It does not express a complete thought.
A new detective series by J. K. Rowling published under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith after she completed her seven-volume Harry Potter series.
Here is one way to fix the sentence fragment:
Author J. K. Rowling released a new detective series published under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith after she completed her seven-volume Harry Potter series. |
|
Select the vertebrate. | [
"atlas moth",
"toucan"
] | 1 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are vertebrates. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify vertebrates and invertebrates | Vertebrates and invertebrates are both groups of animals.
A vertebrate has a backbone. The backbone is made of many bones in an animal's back. A vertebrate's backbone helps connect the different parts of its body. In the drawings below, each vertebrate's backbone is colored orange.
An invertebrate does not have a backbone. In fact, invertebrates do not have any bones! Some invertebrates have a hard outer cover on their body. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | An atlas moth is an insect. Like other insects, an atlas moth is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a hard outer cover.
A toucan is a bird. Like other birds, a toucan is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. |
What is the mass of an adult hippopotamus? | [
"2 tons",
"2 ounces",
"2 pounds"
] | 0 | 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 an adult hippopotamus is 2 tons.
2 ounces and 2 pounds are both too light. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Don't feed the dog any scraps. Next thing you know, you'll be setting a place for the dog at the dinner table. | [
"slippery slope fallacy: the false assumption that a small first step will lead to extreme consequences",
"ad hominem: an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself",
"false causation: the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a broad claim based on too few observations
slippery slope fallacy | the false assumption that a small first step will necessarily lead to extreme consequences
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that feeding the dog table scraps will lead to the dog being served at the table. However, this isn't necessarily true. This argument offers only one extreme and unlikely outcome. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as the slippery slope fallacy. |
|
Which text uses the word can in its traditional sense? | [
"In an effort to reduce human impact on nature trails, some national parks limit the numbers of hikers per group. Olympic National Park, for instance, maintains that only twelve people can hike in each group.",
"Some parts of the Olympic National Park coastal trail are quite strenuous. The National Park Service encourages only those hikers who can climb and hike on slippery rocks to make the trek."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The second text uses can in its traditional sense: to have the ability to.
Some parts of the Olympic National Park coastal trail are quite strenuous. The National Park Service encourages only those hikers who can climb and hike on slippery rocks to make the trek.
The first text uses can in its nontraditional sense: to have permission to.
In an effort to reduce human impact on nature trails, some national parks limit the numbers of hikers per group. Olympic National Park, for instance, maintains that only twelve people can hike in each group.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word can because it is considered more standard. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Helen's shoes are superior, because they're made from one hundred percent snakeskin, not synthetic materials. | [
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against",
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good"
] | 1 | 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 Helen's shoes are the best, because they're made with snakeskin rather than synthetic materials. However, even though the shoes are made from snakes, that doesn't necessarily mean that they are better. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as an appeal to nature. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Maria, please stay away from the ocean. You shouldn't go in the water until you know how to swim. | [
"paradox",
"oxymoron"
] | 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 paradox, a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
You shouldn't go in the water until you know how to swim at first appears to be contradictory, because it is impossible to learn how to swim without going in the water. However, it contains some truth: you should not go into deep or dangerous water without first knowing how to swim. |
|
Which job does the digestive system do? | [
"helps cells get building materials from food",
"helps make food"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Animals | Body systems: digestion | All organisms need food. Food gives organisms the energy they need to survive.
Animals get their food by eating other organisms. An animal's digestive system breaks down food into small particles of fat, protein, sugar, and other nutrients. The blood carries these small particles to cells throughout the animal's body.
Inside cells, nutrient particles can be broken down to release energy. Cells need energy to do their jobs. A cell's job might include sending signals to other cells, rearranging chemicals to make new substances, or moving substances from place to place.
Cells also use nutrient particles as building materials. Cells use building materials to help the animal grow and to replace worn-out parts. | The digestive system breaks down food into small particles of nutrients. Cells can get energy and building materials from these small particles.
The digestive system does not help make food. Animals cannot make food inside their bodies. They must eat other organisms. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
How well does Roger play the guitar? | [
"imperative",
"interrogative"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement. It tells about something. A declarative sentence always ends with a period.
I have an older brother and a younger sister.
An interrogative sentence is a question. It asks something. An interrogative sentence always ends with a question mark.
How tall are you?
An imperative sentence is a command. It makes a request or tells someone to do something. An imperative sentence usually ends with a period. If the command shows strong feeling, it ends with an exclamation point.
Read the first chapter by next week.
Look out for that car!
An exclamatory sentence is like a statement, but it shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.
Some whales are over ninety feet long!
I can't wait until tomorrow! | The sentence asks something, and it ends with a question mark. It is an interrogative sentence. |
|
What is the mass of a piece of candy corn? | [
"2 kilograms",
"2 grams"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of mass | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Mass is a measurement of how much matter something contains.
There are many different units of mass. When you are using metric units, mass may be written with units of grams or kilograms.
There are 1,000 grams in 1 kilogram. So, 1 gram is much less than 1 kilogram.
A paper clip has a mass of about 1 gram, while a textbook has a mass of about 1 kilogram. | The better estimate for the mass of a piece of candy corn is 2 grams.
2 kilograms is too heavy. |
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"Best wishes,\nLucy",
"best wishes,\nLucy"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | capitalization | Capitalization | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Which object has the least thermal energy? | [
"a cookie at a temperature of 32°C",
"a cookie at a temperature of 27°C",
"a cookie at a temperature of 17°C"
] | 2 | The objects are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | physics | Heat and thermal energy | How is temperature related to thermal energy? | All solids, liquids, and gases are made of matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles that are always moving. The energy from the motion of these particles is called thermal energy.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the particles in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature. | All three cookies have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 17°C cookie is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy. |
Based on this information, what is Oliver's phenotype for the body hair trait? | [
"a hairless body",
"a hairy body"
] | 0 | In a group of cats, some individuals have a hairy body and others have a hairless body. In this group, the gene for the body hair trait has two alleles. The allele for a hairless body (b) is recessive to the allele for a hairy body (B).
Oliver is a cat from this group. Oliver has the homozygous genotype bb for the body hair gene. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Oliver's genotype for the body hair gene is bb. Oliver's genotype of bb has only b alleles. The b allele is for a hairless body. So, Oliver's phenotype for the body hair trait must be a hairless body.
To check this answer, consider whether Oliver's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for a hairless body (b) is recessive to the allele for a hairy body (B). This means B is a dominant allele, and b is a recessive allele.
Oliver's genotype of bb has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, Oliver's phenotype for the body hair trait must be a hairless body. |
Which type of sentence is this?
Aaron has an unconventional swing, but he manages to drive the ball farther than some professional golfers. | [
"simple",
"complex",
"compound-complex",
"compound"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | grammar | Phrases and clauses | Is the sentence simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) is not a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw the flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard a rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause in a complex sentence usually begins with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun. Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, and while. Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, or whose.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids.
During his trip to Italy, Tony visited the Trevi Fountain, which is in Rome.
A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
After Samantha left work, she stopped at the bank, and then she went to the gym.
Sometimes a dependent clause in a complex or compound-complex sentence can interrupt an independent clause.
Orcas that are kept in captivity often have bent dorsal fins. | The sentence is compound. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction but.
Aaron has an unconventional swing, but he manages to drive the ball farther than some professional golfers. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a poem? | [
"\"All the World's a Stage\"",
"\"all the world's a Stage\""
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | capitalization | Formatting | Capitalizing titles | In a title, capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between.
The Wind in the Willows James and the Giant Peach
These words are not important in titles:
Articles, a, an, the
Short prepositions, such as at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up
Coordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, or | Capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between. The words the and a are not important, so they should not be capitalized.
The correct title is "All the World's a Stage." |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Although Billy hasn't worked in years, his mother prefers to say that he's between jobs right now. | [
"euphemism",
"oxymoron"
] | 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.
Between jobs is an indirect way of saying unemployed. |
|
Which word does not rhyme? | [
"case",
"mule",
"chase"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade1 | language science | phonological-awareness | Rhyming | Which word does not rhyme? | Rhyming words are words that end with the same sound.
The words tip and slip rhyme. They both end with the ip sound.
The words lake and make rhyme. They both end with the ake sound.
The words tip and lake don't rhyme. They end with different sounds. | The words chase and case rhyme. They both end with the ase sound.
The word mule does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
Suppose Gina decides to eat the almonds. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Gina will give up the chance to eat the fudge. Gina thinks fudge would have tasted better than almonds will.",
"Gina will get to eat the almonds. The almonds will be healthier than the fudge would have been."
] | 0 | Gina is deciding whether to eat almonds or fudge for an afternoon snack. She would like to eat something tasty, but she is also trying to be healthier. | closed choice | grade5 | social science | economics | Basic economic principles | Costs and benefits | Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need. | This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Gina wants or needs:
Gina will give up the chance to eat the fudge. Gina thinks fudge would have tasted better than almonds will. |
Which text uses the word literally in its traditional sense? | [
"The curry that the chef prepared was so spicy that Jasper's mouth was literally on fire by the time he finished his meal.",
"The curry that the chef prepared was so spicy that Jasper literally had to drink three glasses of milk to ease the pain."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The second text uses literally in its traditional sense: in a factual, non-exaggerated way.
The curry that the chef prepared was so spicy that Jasper literally had to drink three glasses of milk to ease the pain.
The first text uses literally in its nontraditional sense: nearly or in effect (often exaggerated). Jasper's mouth may be in pain, but it is not actually on fire.
The curry that the chef prepared was so spicy that Jasper's mouth was literally on fire by the time he finished his meal.
Most style guides recommend to avoid using the nontraditional sense of the word literally because it is generally considered incorrect. |
|
Select the animal. | [
"Maple trees have star-shaped leaves.",
"Mosquitoes can walk and fly."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify plants and animals | Plants and animals are living things. Living things are called organisms.
Plants come in many shapes and sizes. Most plants grow in the ground. They might grow leaves, flowers, and fruit. Plants cannot move around on their own like animals can.
Animals also come in many shapes and sizes. Most animals can move around. Animals might run, swim, jump, or fly. Animals eat plants or other organisms for food. | A maple tree is a plant. It has star-shaped leaves.
Maple trees have green leaves in the spring and summer. In the fall, their leaves turn yellow, red, or brown.
A mosquito is an animal. It drinks nectar and fruit juice.
A mosquito is an insect. Only female mosquitoes drink blood. |
|
Compare the motion of two bats. Which bat was moving at a lower speed? | [
"a bat that moved 140miles in 10hours",
"a bat that moved 55miles in 10hours"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the mile.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about two objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving slower will go a shorter distance in that time. It is moving at a lower speed. | Look at the distance each bat moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One bat moved 55 miles in 10 hours.
The other bat moved 140 miles in 10 hours.
Notice that each bat spent the same amount of time moving. The bat that moved 55 miles moved a shorter distance in that time. So, that bat must have moved at a lower speed. |
|
Which is harder? | [
"metal nail",
"nylon track suit"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. Some examples of properties are shiny, hard, fragile, and stretchy.
For example, a shiny material reflects a lot of light. A fragile material breaks when you drop it. | Hard is a property. A hard material keeps its shape when you press on it with your finger.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine pushing on the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the metal nail is harder. If you squeeze a metal nail, it will not change shape. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"If Tommy doesn't know how to make homemade waffles, he can find it in the cookbook.",
"If Tommy doesn't know how to make homemade waffles, he can find the recipe in the cookbook."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun it is used without its antecedent.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. It has been replaced with the recipe.
If Tommy doesn't know how to make homemade waffles, he can find the recipe in the cookbook. |
|
Select the one substance that is not a rock. | [
"Soapstone is a solid. It is not made by living things.",
"Paper is made in a factory. It is a solid.",
"Chert is a solid. It is not a pure substance."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | earth-science | Rocks and minerals | Identify rocks using properties | Rocks are made of minerals. Here are some properties of rocks:
They are solid.
They are formed in nature.
They are not made by living things.
They are not pure substances. | Compare the properties of each substance to the properties of rocks. Select the substance whose properties do not match those of rocks.
Paper is made in a factory. But all rocks are formed in nature.
So, paper is not a rock.
Chert is a rock.
Soapstone is a rock. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Did you really vote for Ken as class treasurer? Didn't you hear that his uncle was imprisoned for embezzling $1.5 million? | [
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something",
"false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist"
] | 0 | closed choice | 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 Ken can't be trusted with money, because his uncle embezzled money. However, even though his uncle couldn't be trusted with money, that doesn't necessarily mean that Ken can't be trusted with it. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as guilt by association. |
|
What does the personification in this text suggest?
Ten thousand daffodils saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
—William Wordsworth, "I wandered lonely as a Cloud" | [
"The daffodils were moving in the wind.",
"The daffodils were bent over."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind. | The text uses personification, giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance suggests that the daffodils were moving in the wind. The poet describes flowers blowing around on their stems as dancers tossing their heads. |
|
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
It was windy today where Jenny lives. | [
"climate",
"weather"
] | 1 | Hint: Weather is what the atmosphere is like at a certain place and time. Climate is the pattern of weather in a certain place. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | earth-science | Weather and climate | What's the difference between weather and climate? | The atmosphere is the layer of air that surrounds Earth. Both weather and climate tell you about the atmosphere.
Weather is what the atmosphere is like at a certain place and time. Weather can change quickly. For example, the temperature outside your house might get higher throughout the day.
Climate is the pattern of weather in a certain place. For example, summer temperatures in New York are usually higher than winter temperatures. | Read the text carefully.
It was windy today where Jenny lives.
This passage tells you about the wind today where Jenny lives. It describes the atmosphere at a certain place and time. So, this passage describes the weather. |
Which empty mug has a lower temperature? | [
"the empty mug with less thermal energy",
"the empty mug with more thermal energy"
] | 0 | Two empty mugs are identical except for their thermal energies. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Thermal energy | How are temperature and mass related to thermal energy? | Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are always moving.
The energy of moving atoms is called thermal energy. The total amount of thermal energy in matter depends on three things: the type of matter, the amount of matter, and how fast the atoms are moving.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the atoms in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature.
What happens if the amount of matter changes? A 2-kilogram brick at 70°F has twice as much thermal energy as a 1-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the larger brick has twice as many atoms. So, it has twice as much thermal energy. | The two empty mugs are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the empty mug with less thermal energy has a lower temperature. |
What kind of sentence is this?
Amelia considers Paris the most romantic city in the world. | [
"declarative",
"interrogative",
"exclamatory"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement and always ends with a period.
The nurse told Mr. Abrams to roll up his sleeve so that she could check his blood pressure.
An imperative sentence makes a request or a demand and usually ends with a period. If a demand shows strong feeling, it can end with an exclamation point.
For this assignment, use references to support your claims.
Don't drive so quickly in the construction zone!
An interrogative sentence asks a question and always ends with a question mark.
Given the recent critiques of her new strategic plan, do you think the CEO will reconsider the company's direction?
An exclamatory sentence is a statement that shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamation always ends with an exclamation point.
I can't wait to travel through Europe this summer! | The sentence is a statement and ends with a period. It is a declarative sentence. |
|
Which text uses the word peruse in its traditional sense? | [
"Manuel perused the nails in the hardware aisle for almost an hour, trying to figure out which type would be best for his project.",
"Before returning to the stockroom, Manuel briefly perused the nails in the hardware aisle to see if anything needed to be restocked."
] | 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 peruse in its traditional sense: to examine in detail.
Manuel perused the nails in the hardware aisle for almost an hour, trying to figure out which type would be best for his project.
The second text uses peruse in its nontraditional sense: to look through in a casual manner.
Before returning to the stockroom, Manuel briefly perused the nails in the hardware aisle to see if anything needed to be restocked.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word peruse because it is considered more standard. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Kyle investigate with an experiment? | [
"Is the pet lizard more active when it is fed insects or lettuce?",
"Is the pet lizard more active when its tank is heated with one heating lamp or with two heating lamps?",
"Is the pet lizard more active when it is fed crickets or mealworms?"
] | 2 | Kyle has a pet lizard. Kyle notices that on some days, the lizard is active and runs around the tank. On other days, the lizard hardly moves at all. Kyle wonders what factors affect how active his lizard is. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
one pet lizard
live crickets
live mealworms
one heating lamp | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
How long is a ladybug? | [
"9 meters",
"9 kilometers",
"9 millimeters",
"9 centimeters"
] | 2 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using metric units, length can be written with units of millimeters, centimeters, meters, or kilometers. One meter contains 100 centimeters or 1,000 millimeters. So, 1 meter is larger than 1 centimeter, and 1 centimeter is larger than 1 millimeter.
The tip of the pencil shown here is only 1 millimeter wide, but the pencil is about 16 centimeters long.
A red fox is about 1 meter long. The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is about 1,000 meters, or 1 kilometer, in length. | The best estimate for the length of a ladybug is 9 millimeters.
9 centimeters, 9 meters, and 9 kilometers are all too long. |
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"According to Zoe, Willie Mays hit 660 career home runs, although Joe DiMaggio had a higher batting average. She said that he is her favorite player.",
"According to Zoe, Willie Mays hit 660 career home runs, although Joe DiMaggio had a higher batting average. She said that Mays is her favorite player."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun he could refer to Joe Di Maggio or Willie Mays.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. He has been replaced with Mays.
According to Zoe, Willie Mays hit 660 career home runs, although Joe DiMaggio had a higher batting average. She said that Mays is her favorite player. |
|
Would you find the word tablet on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
then - tin | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 1 | yes or no | 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 tablet is not between the guide words then - tin, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Select the mixture. | [
"tomato soup",
"salt"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Mixtures | Identify mixtures | A pure substance is made of only one type of matter.
A mixture is made of two or more types of matter mixed together. | ||
What information supports the conclusion that Aaliyah acquired this trait? | [
"When Aaliyah was young, her grandmother taught her how to cut chili peppers.",
"Aaliyah learned how to make chili from a recipe book.",
"Aaliyah's friends like to make chili with her."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Aaliyah knows how to make chili. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Jane had witnessed a crime, so she made a call to report it. The operator promptly dispatched police to investigate the scene.",
"Jane had witnessed a crime, so she made a call to report it. They promptly dispatched police to investigate the scene."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun they is used without its antecedent.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. They has been replaced with the operator.
Jane had witnessed a crime, so she made a call to report it. The operator promptly dispatched police to investigate the scene. |
|
Which is smoother? | [
"glass bowl",
"concrete sidewalk"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. Some examples of properties are shiny, hard, fragile, and stretchy.
For example, a shiny material reflects a lot of light. A fragile material breaks when you drop it. | 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 glass bowl is smoother. If you touch a glass bowl, it will not feel rough or bumpy. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
Jenna put a bandage on my cut. | [
"declarative",
"exclamatory"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement. It tells about something. A declarative sentence always ends with a period.
I have an older brother and a younger sister.
An interrogative sentence is a question. It asks something. An interrogative sentence always ends with a question mark.
How tall are you?
An imperative sentence is a command. It makes a request or tells someone to do something. An imperative sentence usually ends with a period. If the command shows strong feeling, it ends with an exclamation point.
Read the first chapter by next week.
Look out for that car!
An exclamatory sentence is like a statement, but it shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.
Some whales are over ninety feet long!
I can't wait until tomorrow! | The sentence tells about something, and it ends with a period. It is a declarative sentence. |
|
How long is a leather belt? | [
"26 feet",
"26 yards",
"26 inches",
"26 miles"
] | 2 | 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 leather belt is 26 inches.
26 feet, 26 yards, and 26 miles are all too long. |
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest American presidents.",
"Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was elected in 1860."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | social science | civics | Social studies skills | Identify facts and opinions | A fact is something that can be proved true by research or observation.
George Washington became president of the United States in 1789.
This statement is a fact. It can be proved by researching what year George Washington was inaugurated president.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion can be supported by evidence, but it cannot be proved true.
George Washington was a better president than Thomas Jefferson.
This statement is an opinion. People can have different ideas about what makes someone a "better" president, so the statement cannot be proved. | The first sentence states a fact.
Abraham Lincoln, the 16 th president of the United States, was elected in 1860.
It can be proved by looking up the year that Abraham Lincoln was elected president.
The second sentence states an opinion.
Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest American presidents.
Greatest shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about what makes a president great at his or her job. |
|
Select the gas. | [
"water in a sink",
"door",
"tortoise shell",
"helium"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | States of matter | Identify solids, liquids, and gases | Solid, liquid, and gas are states of matter. Matter is anything that takes up space. Matter can come in different states, or forms.
When matter is a solid, it has a definite volume and a definite shape. So, a solid has a size and shape of its own.
Some solids can be easily folded, bent, or broken. A piece of paper is a solid. Also, some solids are very small. A grain of sand is a solid.
When matter is a liquid, it has a definite volume but not a definite shape. So, a liquid has a size of its own, but it does not have a shape of its own. Think about pouring juice from a bottle into a cup. The juice still takes up the same amount of space, but it takes the shape of the bottle.
Some liquids do not pour as easily as others. Honey and milk are both liquids. But pouring honey takes more time than pouring milk.
When matter is a gas, it does not have a definite volume or a definite shape. A gas expands, or gets bigger, until it completely fills a space. A gas can also get smaller if it is squeezed into a smaller space.
Many gases are invisible. Air is a gas. | A door is a solid. A solid has a size and shape of its own. When you open or close a door, it keeps its shape.
The water in a sink is a liquid. A liquid takes the shape of any container it is in. If you move the water from a sink into a different container, the water will take the shape of that container. But the water will still take up the same amount of space.
Helium is a gas. A gas expands to fill a space. Helium is lighter than air. So, if you fill a balloon with helium, the balloon will rise. If helium leaks out of the balloon, the helium will expand into the space around the balloon.
A tortoise shell is a solid. A solid has a size and shape of its own. A tortoise shell is made of a solid called keratin, just like your fingernails! |
|
Complete the sentence.
The First Amendment says that the government cannot take away a person's freedom of speech or (). | [
"right to drive a car",
"voting rights",
"freedom of religion"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | social science | civics | Government | The Bill of Rights | The First Amendment says that the government cannot take away a person's freedom of speech or freedom of religion. In the United States, voting rights are not a part of freedom of speech. Freedom of speech means that Americans can say and write what they want. But there are some limits on freedom of speech. For example, a person cannot write lies about someone in a newspaper. But the government cannot stop speech just because someone disagrees with it. Freedom of religion means a person can choose his or her own religion. In the United States, the government cannot tell a person what to believe. The complete text of the First Amendment is below. Does it mention any other rights? Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. |
||
What do these two changes have in common?
ice melting in a cup
pouring milk on oatmeal | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Ice melting in a cup is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. The solid ice becomes liquid, but it is still made of water.
The links between atoms in the water molecules do not change. So, a different type of matter is not formed.
Pouring milk on oatmeal is a physical change. The oatmeal and milk form a creamy mixture. But making this mixture does not form a different 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.
Ice melting is caused by heating. But pouring milk on oatmeal is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Jared knows how to type. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 0 | Hint: Typing takes practice. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | People are not born knowing how to type. Instead, many people learn how to type. So, typing is an acquired trait. |
What do these two changes have in common?
baking cookies
a piece of pizza rotting in a trashcan | [
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
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!
A piece of pizza rotting is a chemical change. The matter in the pizza breaks down and slowly turns into a different type of matter.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Baking is caused by heating. But a piece of pizza rotting is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
carving a piece of wood
mixing sand and gravel | [
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 3 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Carving a piece of wood is a physical change. The wood changes shape, but it is still made of the same type of matter.
Mixing sand and gravel is a physical change. Together, the sand and gravel make a mixture. But making this mixture does not form a different type of matter.
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 do these two changes have in common?
cooking an egg
burning food on a stove | [
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, ice melting is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
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.
Food burning on a stove is a chemical change. The type of matter in the food changes. The food turns black and gives off smoke.
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. |
|
Which bowl of cereal has less thermal energy? | [
"the colder bowl of cereal",
"the hotter bowl of cereal"
] | 0 | Two bowls of cereal are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | physics | Heat and thermal energy | How are temperature and mass related to thermal energy? | Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are always moving.
The energy of moving atoms is called thermal energy. The total amount of thermal energy in matter depends on three things: the type of matter, the amount of matter, and how fast the atoms are moving.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the atoms in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature.
What happens if the amount of matter changes? A 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 bowls of cereal are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the colder bowl of cereal has less thermal energy. |
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"dear Grandma Molly,",
"Dear Grandma Molly,"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Grandma Molly is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
The wind () dispersed the leaves that Erik had spent so long raking. | [
"lightly",
"carelessly"
] | 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 carelessly. It describes the wind as if it were a person who didn't care. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Parting is such sweet sorrow. . .
—William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet | [
"assonance",
"oxymoron"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure 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.
Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of several phrases or clauses.
We are united. We are powerful. We are winners.
Antithesis involves contrasting opposing ideas within a parallel grammatical structure.
I want to help, not to hurt.
Apostrophe is a direct address to an absent person or a nonhuman entity.
Oh, little bird, what makes you sing so beautifully?
Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound in a series of nearby words.
Try to light the fire.
Chiasmus is an expression in which the second half parallels the first but reverses the order of words.
Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.
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.
Understatement involves deliberately representing something as less serious or important than it really is.
As you know, it can get a little cold in the Antarctic. | The text uses an oxymoron, a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Sweet sorrow is a contradiction, because sweet describes something that is gentle and pleasant, while sorrow refers to grief or sadness. |
|
Select the animal. | [
"Tulips have a green stem.",
"Woodpeckers eat insects, fruit, and nuts."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify plants and animals | Plants and animals are living things. Living things are called organisms.
Plants come in many shapes and sizes. Most plants grow in the ground. They might grow leaves, flowers, and fruit. Plants cannot move around on their own like animals can.
Animals also come in many shapes and sizes. Most animals can move around. Animals might run, swim, jump, or fly. Animals eat plants or other organisms for food. | A woodpecker is an animal. It eats insects, fruit, and nuts.
Woodpeckers have strong beaks. They use their beaks to drill into wood to hunt for food.
A tulip is a plant. It has a green stem.
Tulips grow best in cool, dry places. |
|
What does the allusion in this text suggest?
When Pamela claimed she had loaded the dishwasher before turning on Dancing with the Stars, her mother replied, "Your nose is growing!" | [
"Pamela was lying.",
"Pamela was goofy."
] | 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.
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked. | The text uses an allusion, a brief reference to someone or something well known.
The allusion nose is growing suggests that Pamela was lying. In the story of Pinocchio, when Pinocchio lies, his nose grows longer. |
|
How long is a parking space? | [
"24 inches",
"24 feet"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | 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 parking space is 24 feet.
24 inches is too short. |
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"Her dog happily fetched his tennis ball from the muddy puddle and eagerly waited for her to throw it again.",
"I followed Sarah's recipe, but my chicken pot pie tasted nothing like hers."
] | 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 but.
I followed Sarah's recipe, but my chicken pot pie tasted nothing like hers. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Pete acquired this trait? | [
"Pete has two pet fish. The fish live in a fish tank together.",
"Pete was not born knowing how to identify different fish. He had to learn this skill."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Pete is good at identifying fish. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
The ancient car () whenever someone tries to use it. | [
"throws a fit",
"produces thick smoke"
] | 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 phrase throws a fit. It describes the car as if it were a person who is upset. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a book? | [
"***A Boat to Nowhere***",
"\"A Boat to Nowhere\""
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Formatting titles | The title of a book, movie, play, TV show, magazine, or newspaper should be in italics. If you write it by hand, it can be underlined instead.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The title of a poem, song, article, or short story should be in quotation marks.
"You Are My Sunshine" | A book should be in italics.
The correct title is **A Boat to Nowhere**. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Kimberly inherited this trait? | [
"Kimberly and her father both have dark hair.",
"Kimberly's parents have dark skin. They passed down this trait to Kimberly."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Kimberly has dark skin. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Tons of people still believe the Earth is flat! Maybe there's something to their argument? | [
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something",
"bandwagon fallacy: the assumption that the popular choice is automatically correct",
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a broad claim based on too few observations
slippery slope fallacy | the false assumption that a small first step will necessarily lead to extreme consequences
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that the belief that the Earth is flat might be true because it is common. However, a belief isn't necessarily more reasonable just because many people hold it. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as the bandwagon fallacy. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
In the 1950s, there was great societal pressure on women to stay at home and raise children. Many women enjoyed doing so, but for others home was a prison they yearned to escape. | [
"simile",
"metaphor"
] | 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 a metaphor, comparing two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
Home was a prison compares home to a prison without using like or as. |
|
Suppose Kyle decides to get the peach ice cream. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Kyle will get to eat the peach ice cream. He likes this flavor more than chocolate almond.",
"Kyle will give up the chance to get a free waffle cone. He would have enjoyed the waffle cone."
] | 1 | Kyle is deciding whether to get peach ice cream or chocolate almond ice cream. He likes peach more than chocolate almond. But a scoop of chocolate almond ice cream comes with a free waffle cone. | closed choice | grade5 | social science | economics | Basic economic principles | Costs and benefits | Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need. | This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Kyle wants or needs:
Kyle will give up the chance to get a free waffle cone. He would have enjoyed the waffle cone. |
Which is the most flexible? | [
"nylon swim shorts",
"plastic ball",
"clay tile"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. Some examples of properties are shiny, hard, fragile, and stretchy.
For example, a shiny material reflects a lot of light. A fragile material breaks when you drop it. | Flexible is a property. A flexible material can be bent without breaking easily.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine bending the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the nylon swim shorts are the most flexible. If you fold nylon fabric, it will not break. |
|
How long is a school bus? | [
"12 yards",
"12 feet"
] | 0 | 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 school bus is 12 yards.
12 feet is too short. |
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"thanks,\nTodd",
"Thanks,\nTodd"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Which is the hardest? | [
"paper crane",
"rubber band",
"bone"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. Some examples of properties are shiny, hard, fragile, and stretchy.
For example, a shiny material reflects a lot of light. A fragile material breaks when you drop it. | Hard is a property. A hard material keeps its shape when you press on it with your finger.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine pushing on the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the bone is the hardest. If you press on a bone, it will not change shape. |
|
Assume all other forces on Dominic are balanced. Which statement describes the forces on Dominic? | [
"The forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on Dominic.",
"The forces are balanced, so there is no net force on Dominic."
] | 1 | Dominic is standing on a diving board at the pool. Earth's gravity is pulling down on Dominic with a force of 400N. The diving board is pushing up on Dominic 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 Dominic, look at the forces:
Earth's gravity is pulling Dominic down with a force of 400 N.
The diving board is pushing Dominic 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 Dominic. |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Before Allie had even met her future husband in person, she knew about his reputation as a Romeo. | [
"British history",
"literature"
] | 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 Romeo is literature.
In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is known for the eloquent declaration of love with which he woos Juliet.
The allusion Romeo means a man who is very romantic. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Luther acquired this trait? | [
"Luther learned history by reading.",
"Luther is most interested in American history."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Luther knows a lot about history. | 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 of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"When Eva returned to the apartment that evening, she greeted Mary with a hug.",
"Eva greeted Mary with a hug when she returned to the apartment that evening."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun she could refer to Eva or Mary.
Eva greeted Mary with a hug when she returned to the apartment that evening.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. The text has been rewritten so that the meaning is clear.
When Eva returned to the apartment that evening, she greeted Mary with a hug. |
|
What does the idiom in this text suggest?
Mr. and Mrs. Hartman usually see eye to eye, but not when it comes to the controversial mayoral race. | [
"Mr. and Mrs. Hartman are not politically active.",
"Mr. and Mrs. Hartman usually agree."
] | 1 | 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.
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 see eye to eye suggests that Mr. and Mrs. Hartman usually agree. When you see eye to eye with someone, you share their opinion. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Stefan acquired this trait? | [
"Some scars fade more quickly than others.",
"Stefan's scar was caused by an accident. He cut his arm when he fell off his bicycle."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Stefan has a scar on his right arm. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. | |
Which text uses the word peruse in its traditional sense? | [
"The detective leisurely perused the newspaper, hoping to go unnoticed by the suspect during the stakeout.",
"The detective carefully perused the newspaper, hoping to find a coded message hidden in the personal ads."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The second text uses peruse in its traditional sense: to examine in detail.
The detective carefully perused the newspaper, hoping to find a coded message hidden in the personal ads.
The first text uses peruse in its nontraditional sense: to look through in a casual manner.
The detective leisurely perused the newspaper, hoping to go unnoticed by the suspect during the stakeout.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word peruse because it is considered more standard. |
|
Is this a run-on sentence?
At the Morbid Anatomy Museum in Brooklyn, students can take taxidermy workshops in which they learn how to skin and stuff dead mice. | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Identify run-on sentences | A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
A run-on sentence is formed when two sentences are run together, joined by just a comma or by no punctuation at all. If only a comma is used, the run-on is called a comma splice.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily, we have a concert in two weeks.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily we have a concert in two weeks.
There are several ways to fix a run-on sentence:
Use stronger punctuation, such as a period or a semicolon.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily. We have a concert in two weeks.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily; we have a concert in two weeks.
Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction to create a compound sentence. Coordinating conjunctions include and, but, or, and so.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily, and we have a concert in two weeks.
Use a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun to create a complex sentence. Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, and while. Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, and whose.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily since we have a concert in two weeks. | This is not a run-on sentence. It is not formed from two sentences that have been run together without appropriate punctuation.
At the Morbid Anatomy Museum in Brooklyn, students can take taxidermy workshops in which they learn how to skin and stuff dead mice. |
|
How long is an adult alligator? | [
"12 inches",
"12 yards",
"12 miles",
"12 feet"
] | 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 an adult alligator is 12 feet.
12 inches is too short. 12 yards and 12 miles are too long. |
Based on this information, what is Twinkle's phenotype for the leg color trait? | [
"white legs",
"yellow legs"
] | 0 | In a group of chickens, some individuals have white legs and others have yellow legs. In this group, the gene for the leg color trait has two alleles. The allele for yellow legs (l) is recessive to the allele for white legs (L).
Twinkle is a chicken from this group. Twinkle has the homozygous genotype LL for the leg 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. | Twinkle's genotype for the leg color gene is LL. Twinkle's genotype of LL has only L allelles. The L allele is for white legs. So, Twinkle's phenotype for the leg color trait must be white legs.
To check this answer, consider whether Twinkle's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for yellow legs (l) is recessive to the allele for white legs (L). This means L is a dominant allele, and l is a recessive allele.
Twinkle's genotype of LL 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, Twinkle's phenotype for the leg color trait must be white legs. |
Select the one substance that is not a rock. | [
"Scoria is formed in nature. It is not made by living things.",
"Sandstone is a solid. It is not a pure substance.",
"Bronze is made by humans. It is not a pure substance."
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | earth-science | Rocks and minerals | Identify rocks using properties | Rocks are made of minerals. Here are some properties of rocks:
They are solid.
They are formed in nature.
They are not made by living things.
They are not pure substances. | Compare the properties of each substance to the properties of rocks. Select the substance whose properties do not match those of rocks.
Sandstone is a rock.
Scoria is a rock.
Bronze is made by humans. But rocks are not made by living things.
So, bronze is not a rock. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
smother - spoon | [
"snap",
"steak"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since snap is between the guide words smother - spoon, it would be found on that page. |
|
Select the solid. | [
"fruit punch",
"pipe cleaner",
"coffee",
"caramel sauce"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | States of matter | Identify solids, liquids, and gases | Solid, liquid, and gas are states of matter. Matter is anything that takes up space. Matter can come in different states, or forms.
When matter is a solid, it has a definite volume and a definite shape. So, a solid has a size and shape of its own.
Some solids can be easily folded, bent, or broken. A piece of paper is a solid. Also, some solids are very small. A grain of sand is a solid.
When matter is a liquid, it has a definite volume but not a definite shape. So, a liquid has a size of its own, but it does not have a shape of its own. Think about pouring juice from a bottle into a cup. The juice still takes up the same amount of space, but it takes the shape of the bottle.
Some liquids do not pour as easily as others. Honey and milk are both liquids. But pouring honey takes more time than pouring milk.
When matter is a gas, it does not have a definite volume or a definite shape. A gas expands, or gets bigger, until it completely fills a space. A gas can also get smaller if it is squeezed into a smaller space.
Many gases are invisible. Air is a gas. | Coffee is a liquid. A liquid takes the shape of any container it is in. If you pour coffee into a different container, the coffee will take the shape of that container. But the coffee will still take up the same amount of space.
Caramel sauce is a liquid. A liquid takes the shape of any container it is in. If you pour caramel sauce into a container, the caramel sauce will take the shape of that container. But the caramel sauce will still take up the same amount of space.
A pipe cleaner is a solid. You can easily bend a pipe cleaner. But it will still have a size and shape of its own.
Fruit punch is a liquid. A liquid takes the shape of any container it is in. If you pour fruit punch into a cup, the punch will take the shape of the cup. But the punch will still take up the same amount of space. |
|
Which sentence is more formal? | [
"California, a.k.a. the Golden State, is the most populous state in the United States.",
"California, sometimes called the Golden State, is the most populous state in the country."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | writing-strategies | Author's purpose and tone | Which sentence is more formal? | Formal writing is used for essays, business letters, and reports. The following types of informal language should be avoided in formal writing:
Type | Examples
slang | cool, awesome
idioms | knock your socks off
conversational language | gonna, kinda, yeah
abbreviated language | ASAP, FYI
overly simple or imprecise language | he got some stuff at the store
contractions | can't, won't
Contractions are not as informal as the other types, but they should be used sparingly in formal writing.
Compare the following sentences. The first is informal. The second is formal.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but they're awesome runners.
Formal: Though ostriches are flightless, they are remarkably adept runners.
| The first sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses abbreviated language (a.k.a.).
The second sentence does not use abbreviated language, so it is more formal. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Mrs. Cooper, you point out that childhood obesity rates have skyrocketed, but are you aware that rainforests provide critical habitats for some of the world's rarest plants and animals? | [
"false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist",
"red herring: the use of a completely unrelated topic or idea"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | a personal attack meant to discredit one's opponent
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
red herring | the use of a completely unrelated topic in support of a claim
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a very broad claim based on very little evidence
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that obesity rates and rainforests are somehow interconnected. However, these two ideas aren't related. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as a red herring. |
|
How long does it take to go for a walk with a dog? | [
"11 seconds",
"11 minutes"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade2 | 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 go for a walk with a dog is 11 minutes.
11 seconds is too fast. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Vincent, you didn't vote in the last election, so you clearly have no regard for the democracy in which we live. | [
"false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist",
"ad hominem: a personal attack against one's opponent"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | a personal attack meant to discredit one's opponent
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
red herring | the use of a completely unrelated topic in support of a claim
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a very broad claim based on very little evidence
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that Vincent must not care about democracy, because he didn't vote in the election. However, there may be a number of reasons why Vincent didn't vote in the election. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as a false dichotomy. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear Mrs. Eaton,",
"Dear mrs. eaton,"
] | 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 first greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Mrs. Eaton is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Ling had her fifteen minutes when her video of kayaking with dolphins went viral. | [
"modern history",
"a song"
] | 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 fifteen minutes is modern history.
In a catalog that accompanied an exhibit of his work, pop artist Andy Warhol said, "In the future, everybody will be world-famous for fifteen minutes," meaning that fame would be briefly available even to those who did nothing spectacular.
The allusion fifteen minutes means a temporary moment of celebrity status. |
|
Complete the statement.
Nickel is (). | [
"an elementary substance",
"a compound"
] | 0 | Nickel is a metal that is used in coins and in rechargeable batteries. The chemical formula for nickel is Ni. | 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 nickel 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 nickel is Ni. This formula contains one symbol: Ni. So, the formula tells you that nickel is made of one chemical element.
Substances made of only one chemical element are elementary substances. So, nickel is an elementary substance. |
Complete the statement.
Trichlorofluoromethane is (). | [
"a compound",
"an elementary substance"
] | 0 | Trichlorofluoromethane was once used in refrigerators and fire extinguishers. It is no longer used because it harms the atmosphere's ozone layer. The chemical formula for trichlorofluoromethane is CCl3F. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | chemistry | Atoms and molecules | Classify elementary substances and compounds using chemical formulas | There are more than 100 different chemical elements, or types of atoms. Chemical elements make up all of the substances around you.
A substance may be composed of one chemical element or multiple chemical elements. Substances that are composed of only one chemical element are elementary substances. Substances that are composed of multiple chemical elements bonded together are compounds.
Every chemical element is represented by its own atomic symbol. An atomic symbol may consist of one capital letter, or it may consist of a capital letter followed by a lowercase letter. For example, the atomic symbol for the chemical element fluorine is F, and the atomic symbol for the chemical element beryllium is Be.
The atomic symbol for each chemical 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 atomic symbol.
The atomic symbol in a chemical formula may be followed by a small number written lower than the symbol. This number is called a subscript. A subscript is included when the atoms in the elementary substance are bonded to form molecules. The subscript shows how many atoms are in each molecule.
For example, the chemical formula for the elementary substance oxygen, O2, has a subscript of 2. This subscript shows that the atomic symbol O represents two atoms. The elementary substance O2 and the chemical element represented by the atomic symbol O are both named oxygen. So, the formula tells you that each molecule of O2 contains two oxygen atoms.
A compound is represented by a chemical formula that contains multiple atomic symbols.
The chemical elements in a compound are bonded together in a fixed ratio. This ratio is shown in a compound's chemical formula.
For example, in the compound beryllium fluoride, there is one beryllium atom for every two fluorine atoms. So, the ratio of beryllium atoms to fluorine atoms is 1 to 2. This ratio is shown in the chemical formula for beryllium fluoride, BeF2. There is no subscript following the atomic symbol Be because that symbol represents one atom. The subscript 2 follows the atomic symbol F to show that the symbol represents two atoms. | You can tell whether trichlorofluoromethane is an elementary substance or a compound by counting the number of atomic symbols in its chemical formula. An atomic symbol consists of either one capital letter or a capital letter followed by one or two lowercase letters.
The chemical formula for trichlorofluoromethane, CCl3 F, contains three atomic symbols: C for carbon, Cl for chlorine, and F for fluorine. So, the formula tells you that trichlorofluoromethane is composed of three chemical elements bonded together.
Since trichlorofluoromethane is composed of multiple chemical elements bonded together, trichlorofluoromethane is a compound. |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
From the look on her face, Kiera is carrying an albatross around her neck. | [
"a poem",
"the Bible"
] | 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 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. |
|
Select the mammal. | [
"box turtle",
"painted stork",
"robin",
"sugar glider"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Mammals have hair or fur and feed their young milk. | A robin is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
A robin is a songbird. It sings different songs at different times of the day.
A painted stork is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
Storks wade in shallow water to look for food. Storks eat fish, insects, worms, and other small animals.
A sugar glider is a mammal. It has fur and feeds its young milk.
Sugar gliders can jump long distances from tree to tree. They have flaps of loose skin on their sides. These flaps help them stay in the air.
A box turtle is a reptile. It has scaly, waterproof skin.
Box turtles can live to be over 100 years old! |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
"Your new hairstyle is so boring!" Diego remarked when his sister showed up with a pink-and-blue mohawk. | [
"verbal irony",
"pun"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
Boring shows verbal irony because Diego's sister's hairstyle is not at all boring. |
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