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Select the vertebrate. | [
"cat",
"bess beetle"
] | 0 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are vertebrates. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify vertebrates and invertebrates | Vertebrates and invertebrates are both groups of animals.
A vertebrate has a backbone. The backbone is made of many bones in an animal's back. A vertebrate's backbone helps connect the different parts of its body. In the drawings below, each vertebrate's backbone is colored orange.
An invertebrate does not have a backbone. In fact, invertebrates do not have any bones! Some invertebrates have a hard outer cover on their body. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | A bess beetle is an insect. Like other insects, a bess beetle is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a hard outer cover.
A cat is a mammal. Like other mammals, a cat is a vertebrate. It has a backbone. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Elderly American ladies leaning on their canes listed toward me like towers of Pisa.
—Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita | [
"pun",
"simile"
] | 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 includes a simile, using like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
Like towers of Pisa compares elderly ladies to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. |
|
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"thank you,\nSue",
"Thank you,\nSue"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The first closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Tara never lies. She told me herself, so it must be true. | [
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against",
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself"
] | 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 Tara is telling the truth because she says she never lies. However, the "evidence" is just a restatement of the claim itself. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as circular reasoning. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
From the look on her face, Belle is carrying an albatross around her neck. | [
"Egyptian history",
"a poem"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion 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. |
|
Which is a run-on sentence? | [
"Mr. Molina will teach a math lesson the children will take notes.",
"An empty silver bucket."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on? | A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. It has both a subject and a verb.
My friends walk along the path.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It is usually missing a subject or a verb.
Knows the answer.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a subject.
Who knows the answer? She knows the answer.
The bright red car.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a verb.
What did the bright red car do? The bright red car stopped.
A run-on sentence is made up of two sentences that are joined without end punctuation or with just a comma.
I knocked on the door it opened.
It started raining, we ran inside.
To fix a run-on sentence, separate it into two sentences. Add end punctuation after the first sentence, and capitalize the second sentence.
I knocked on the door. It opened.
It started raining. We ran inside.
You can also fix a run-on sentence by rewriting it as a compound sentence. A compound sentence is two sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
I knocked on the door, and it opened.
It started raining, so we ran inside. | Mr. Molina will teach a math lesson the children will take notes is a run-on sentence. It has two sentences that are joined without end punctuation: Mr. Molina will teach a math lesson and The children will take notes. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
"Darren's personality is very Jekyll and Hyde," Emilia told her brother. | [
"a song",
"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 Jekyll and Hyde is literature.
Robert Louis Stevenson's popular Victorian novella Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tells the story of a man with two distinct personalities. Known to the world as a kind and highly respected doctor, at night he transforms into a monstrous person.
The allusion Jekyll and Hyde means kind then cruel. |
|
Which text uses the word factoid in its traditional sense? | [
"As a geneticist, Maria enjoys watching science documentaries and sharing various factoids she's learned with her colleagues.",
"As a geneticist, Maria dislikes many popular sci-fi movies because they often present audiences with factoids that misrepresent her field."
] | 1 | 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 factoid in its traditional sense: something made up presented as a true fact.
As a geneticist, Maria dislikes many popular sci-fi movies because they often present audiences with factoids that misrepresent her field.
The second text uses factoid in its nontraditional sense: a trivial but true fact.
As a geneticist, Maria enjoys watching science documentaries and sharing various factoids she's learned with her colleagues.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word factoid because it is considered more standard. |
|
Based on this information, what is Stacy's phenotype for the sickle-cell disease trait? | [
"not having sickle-cell disease",
"having sickle-cell disease"
] | 1 | This passage describes the sickle-cell disease trait in humans:
In a group of humans, some individuals have sickle-cell disease and others do not. In this group, the gene for the sickle-cell disease trait has two alleles. The allele for not having sickle-cell disease (A) is dominant over the allele for having sickle-cell disease (a).
Stacy is a human from this group. Stacy has the homozygous genotype aa for the sickle-cell disease gene. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Stacy's genotype for the sickle-cell disease gene is aa. Stacy's genotype of aa has only a alleles. The a allele is for having sickle-cell disease. So, Stacy's phenotype for the sickle-cell disease trait must be having sickle-cell disease.
To check this answer, consider whether Stacy's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for not having sickle-cell disease (A) is dominant over the allele for having sickle-cell disease (a). This means A is a dominant allele, and a is a recessive allele.
Stacy'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, Stacy's phenotype for the sickle-cell disease trait must be having sickle-cell disease. |
What kind of sentence is this?
Please stand up when you hear your name. | [
"imperative",
"interrogative"
] | 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 makes a request, so it is an imperative sentence. Here, it ends with a period. |
|
Which empty mug has more thermal energy? | [
"the colder empty mug",
"the hotter empty mug"
] | 1 | Two empty mugs 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 move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher 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 hotter empty mug has more thermal energy. |
What is the volume of a kiddie pool? | [
"285 fluid ounces",
"285 gallons",
"285 cups"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using customary units, volume may be written in units of fluid ounces, cups, or gallons.
As the diagram shows, there are 8 fluid ounces in 1 cup and 16 cups in 1 gallon. So, 1 fluid ounce is less than 1 cup and much less than 1 gallon.
A glass of milk has a volume of about 8 fluid ounces, or 1 cup. A jug of milk has a volume of 1 gallon. | The best estimate for the volume of a kiddie pool is 285 gallons.
285 fluid ounces and 285 cups are both too little. |
Is the following statement true or false?
The cell membrane is the outermost layer in a plant cell. | [
"false",
"true"
] | 0 | true-or false | grade4 | natural science | biology | Cells | Cell part functions: true or false | The cell membrane is the outermost layer in a plant cell.
This statement is false. A plant cell has a cell wall. The cell wall is outside the cell membrane. |
||
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"Earthworms can be food for birds, and fishermen can use them as bait.",
"Every winter my father grows a thick beard."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple or compound? | A simple sentence is a sentence with only one subject and predicate.
The pitcher threw the ball to first base.
A compound sentence is two simple sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
The pitcher threw the ball, and the batter hit it.
Some simple sentences have a compound subject or a compound predicate, but they are not compound sentences.
Anna and James will watch the fireworks tonight.
This simple sentence has a compound subject, Anna and James.
The singers bowed and walked off the stage.
This simple sentence has a compound predicate, bowed and walked off the stage.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but they are not compound sentences. The introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Farmer Ben wears his heavy coat.
This is a simple sentence. There is one subject, Farmer Ben, and one predicate, wears his heavy coat in the winter. | The second sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two simple sentences joined by a comma and the conjunction and.
Earthworms can be food for birds, and fishermen can use them as bait. |
|
Based on this information, what is Fang's phenotype for the coat pattern trait? | [
"a spotted coat",
"a black coat"
] | 0 | In a group of jaguars, some individuals have a black coat and others have a spotted coat. In this group, the gene for the coat pattern trait has two alleles. The allele for a black coat (A) is dominant over the allele for a spotted coat (a).
Fang is a jaguar from this group. Fang has the homozygous genotype aa for the coat pattern gene. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Fang's genotype for the coat pattern gene is aa. Fang's genotype of aa has only a alleles. The a allele is for a spotted coat. So, Fang's phenotype for the coat pattern trait must be a spotted coat.
To check this answer, consider whether Fang's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for a black coat (A) is dominant over the allele for a spotted coat (a). This means A is a dominant allele, and a is a recessive allele.
Fang'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, Fang's phenotype for the coat pattern trait must be a spotted coat. |
What do these two changes have in common?
mixing sand and water
picking up a paper clip with a magnet | [
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"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.
Mixing sand and water is a physical change. Adding water makes the sand wet. But both the sand and water are still made of the same type of matter as before.
Picking up a paper clip with a magnet is a physical change. The paper clip sticks to the magnet, but it is still made of the same type of matter.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. No new matter is created.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. They are not chemical changes.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
How long is a hummingbird's beak? | [
"3 centimeters",
"3 kilometers",
"3 millimeters",
"3 meters"
] | 0 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using metric units, length can be written with units of millimeters, centimeters, meters, or kilometers. One meter contains 100 centimeters or 1,000 millimeters. So, 1 meter is larger than 1 centimeter, and 1 centimeter is larger than 1 millimeter.
The tip of the pencil shown here is only 1 millimeter wide, but the pencil is about 16 centimeters long.
A red fox is about 1 meter long. The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is about 1,000 meters, or 1 kilometer, in length. | The best estimate for the length of a hummingbird's beak is 3 centimeters.
3 millimeters is too short. 3 meters and 3 kilometers are too long. |
Which person is part of state government? | [
"a governor",
"a president",
"a mayor"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | social science | civics | Government | State government | A governor is the leader of a state. A mayor is the leader of a city. A president is the leader of a nation. |
||
Which tense does the sentence use?
The birds soared high above the street. | [
"future tense",
"present tense",
"past tense"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in past tense. You can tell because it uses a past-tense verb, soared. The verb ends in -ed and tells you about something that has already happened. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Judith acquired this trait? | [
"Judith learned how to make chili from a recipe book.",
"When Judith was young, her grandmother taught her how to cut chili peppers.",
"Judith's friends like to make chili with her."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Judith knows how to make chili. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Jen plays hockey. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 0 | Hint: Playing hockey takes practice. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | People are not born knowing how to play hockey. Instead, some people learn how to play hockey. Playing the sport takes practice. So, playing hockey is an acquired trait. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
I get my drinking water from a well in my backyard. I don't trust tap water, because it has been treated with chemicals. | [
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good",
"slippery slope fallacy: the false assumption that a small first step will lead to extreme consequences",
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against"
] | 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 tap water isn't safe because it has been chemically treated. However, something isn't necessarily more dangerous just because it has been chemically treated. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as an appeal to nature. |
|
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"The Maori people of New Zealand have the most fascinating culture.",
"The Maori people are the native people of New Zealand."
] | 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.
The Maori people are the native people of New Zealand.
It can be proved by reading about New Zealand.
The second sentence states an opinion.
The Maori people of New Zealand have the most fascinating culture.
Most fascinating shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about what culture is the most fascinating. |
|
Complete the sentence.
Mixing lettuce and salad dressing is a (). | [
"chemical change",
"physical change"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form new molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then relink and form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are created when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water. | Mixing lettuce and salad dressing is a physical change. Together, the salad and dressing make a mixture. But making this mixture does not form a different type of matter. |
|
How long is a basketball court? | [
"24 kilometers",
"24 meters",
"24 millimeters",
"24 centimeters"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using metric units, length can be written with units of millimeters, centimeters, meters, or kilometers. One meter contains 100 centimeters or 1,000 millimeters. So, 1 meter is larger than 1 centimeter, and 1 centimeter is larger than 1 millimeter.
The tip of the pencil shown here is only 1 millimeter wide, but the pencil is about 16 centimeters long.
A red fox is about 1 meter long. The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is about 1,000 meters, or 1 kilometer, in length. | The best estimate for the length of a basketball court is 24 meters.
24 millimeters and 24 centimeters are too short. 24 kilometers is too long. |
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"Hurricane Rita was the worst storm in history.",
"Hurricanes are tropical storms with strong winds and heavy rains."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Distinguish facts from opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true.
The month of July has more days than the month of June.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at a calendar and counting the number of days in each month.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
July is a better month than June for camping.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about which month is "better" for camping. | The second sentence states a fact.
Hurricanes are tropical storms with strong winds and heavy rains.
It can be proved by looking up hurricane in the dictionary.
The first sentence states an opinion.
Hurricane Rita was the worst storm in history.
Worst shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about what makes one storm worse than others. |
|
Compare the motion of two buses. Which bus was moving at a higher speed? | [
"a bus that moved 265kilometers in 5hours",
"a bus that moved 210kilometers in 5hours"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the kilometer.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about two objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving faster will go a farther distance in that time. It is moving at a higher speed. | Look at the distance each bus moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One bus moved 265 kilometers in 5 hours.
The other bus moved 210 kilometers in 5 hours.
Notice that each bus spent the same amount of time moving. The bus that moved 265 kilometers moved a farther distance in that time. So, that bus must have moved at a higher speed. |
|
Suppose Evan decides to join the Photography Club. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Evan will have more fun in the Photography Club than he would have had in the Theater Club.",
"Evan will spend more time in the Photography Club than he would have spent in the Theater Club."
] | 1 | Evan is deciding whether to join the Photography Club or the Theater Club at school. He wants the club he joins to be fun. But he doesn't want it to take up too much time. | closed choice | grade4 | social science | economics | Basic economic principles | Costs and benefits | Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need. | This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Evan wants or needs:
Evan will spend more time in the Photography Club than he would have spent in the Theater Club. |
Last year, there were seven men's clothing stores on Main Street in Belmont. This year, there are only three. What probably happened to the overall supply of men's shirts in Belmont? | [
"The supply probably went up.",
"The supply probably went down."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | When four men's clothing stores closed on Main Street, the number of suppliers went down. There were fewer stores selling men's shirts. So, the supply of men's shirts probably went down. |
|
According to Newton's third law, what other force must be happening? | [
"The door is pushing on Shivani's hand.",
"The door is pulling on Shivani's hand."
] | 0 | Isaac Newton was born in the 1600s and studied how objects move. He discovered three fundamental laws about forces and motion. According to Newton's third law, for every force, there is an equal and opposite force.
Consider the following force:
Shivani's hand is pushing on a door. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | physics | Velocity, acceleration, and forces | Predict forces using Newton's third law | According to Newton's third law, for every force, there is an equal and opposite force. This means that if one object is applying a force on a second object, the second object must also be applying a force on the first object, but in the opposite direction.
For example, if your hand is pushing down on a table, the table is also pushing up on your hand. Or, if you are pulling forward on a rope, the rope is also pulling back on you. | Shivani's hand is pushing on the door. So, Newton's third law tells you that the door is pushing on Shivani's hand. |
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear Mr. pratt,",
"Dear Mr. Pratt,"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | capitalization | Capitalization | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Mr. Pratt is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
Based on this information, what is Henrietta's phenotype for the body feather color trait? | [
"green body feathers",
"Bb"
] | 0 | In a group of budgerigar parakeets, some individuals have green body feathers and others have blue body feathers. In this group, the gene for the body feather color trait has two alleles. The allele B is for green body feathers, and the allele b is for blue body feathers.
Henrietta, a budgerigar parakeet from this group, has green body feathers. Henrietta has one allele for green body feathers and one allele for blue body feathers. | 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. Henrietta's observable version of the body feather color trait is green body feathers. So, Henrietta's phenotype for the body feather color trait is green body feathers. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
The French family I stayed with over the summer had read all the British romantic poets. It's amazing how cosmopolitan and well educated French people are. | [
"slippery slope fallacy: the false assumption that a small first step will lead to extreme consequences",
"hasty generalization: a broad claim based on too few observations",
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a broad claim based on too few observations
slippery slope fallacy | the false assumption that a small first step will necessarily lead to extreme consequences
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that one well-read French family is evidence that all French people are well educated. However, the reading habits of one French family do not necessarily reflect the reading habits of all French people. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as a hasty generalization. |
|
Which is a simple sentence? | [
"On the ferry to Ellis Island, Katy took a photograph, and now it's sitting in a frame on her dresser at home.",
"The forecast for tomorrow calls for strong winds and light rain."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The first sentence is the simple sentence. It is a single independent clause.
The forecast for tomorrow calls for strong winds and light rain. |
|
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
Arianna put on an extra pair of socks this morning because it was so cold. | [
"climate",
"weather"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | earth-science | Weather and climate | What's the difference between weather and climate? | The atmosphere is the layer of air that surrounds Earth. Both weather and climate tell you about the atmosphere.
Weather is what the atmosphere is like at a certain place and time. Weather can change quickly. For example, the temperature outside your house might get higher throughout the day.
Climate is the pattern of weather in a certain place. For example, summer temperatures in New York are usually higher than winter temperatures. | Read the text carefully.
Arianna put on an extra pair of socks this morning because it was so cold.
This passage tells you about the temperature this morning where Arianna lives. It describes the atmosphere at a certain place and time. So, this passage describes the weather. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a song? | [
"If You're Happy and You Know It",
"\"If You're Happy and You Know It\""
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | 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 song should be in quotation marks.
The correct title is "If You're Happy and You Know It." |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Jenny has a scar on her right leg. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 0 | Hint: Most scars are caused by accidents during a person's life. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | biology | Heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | Children do not inherit their parent's scars. Instead, scars are caused by the environment. People can get scars after they get hurt. So, having a scar is an acquired trait. |
Would you find the word appoint on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
anxious - ask | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 0 | 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 appoint is between the guide words anxious - ask, it would be found on that page. |
|
What is the volume of a coffee pot? | [
"11 gallons",
"11 fluid ounces",
"11 cups"
] | 2 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using customary units, volume may be written in units of fluid ounces, cups, or gallons.
As the diagram shows, there are 8 fluid ounces in 1 cup and 16 cups in 1 gallon. So, 1 fluid ounce is less than 1 cup and much less than 1 gallon.
A glass of milk has a volume of about 8 fluid ounces, or 1 cup. A jug of milk has a volume of 1 gallon. | The best estimate for the volume of a coffee pot is 11 cups.
11 fluid ounces is too little and 11 gallons is too much. |
Select the bird. | [
"brown pelican",
"spotted dolphin",
"zebra",
"great white shark"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Birds have feathers, two wings, and a beak. | A brown pelican is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
Brown pelicans live near water. They can dive underwater to catch fish.
A spotted dolphin is a mammal. It has hair and feeds its young milk.
Dolphins may look like sharks or other fish, but they are mammals! When a baby dolphin is born, it has hair around its jaw. This hair falls out as the dolphin grows.
A great white shark is a fish. It lives underwater. It has fins, not limbs.
Great white sharks can live for up to 70 years.
A zebra is a mammal. It has hair and feeds its young milk.
Zebras eat mostly grass. But they sometimes eat other types of plants, such as shrubs or tree bark. |
|
Select the one true statement. | [
"The cell membrane of an animal cell contains the master plan for cell activities and cell development.",
"The cytoplasm of a plant cell is inside the cell membrane.",
"Animal cells can have lysosomes but do not have vacuoles."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Cells | Compare cells and cell parts | |||
Read the following text from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her organization?
In the 1800s, egrets were hunted in the United States for their long white plumes (feathers). As a result, the birds were nearly wiped out completely. Thankfully, conservation measures were put in place, and the birds were protected. In fact, in recent years, egrets have expanded their range northward, moving beyond their original habitat in the American South. The egret is a large white bird that lives near marshes, lakes, ponds, and other wetland areas. | [
"by providing the description of egrets when they are first introduced",
"by removing the sentence about the egrets' expanded range"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | writing-strategies | Editing and revising | Suggest appropriate revisions | When you review a fellow student's writing, try to make your feedback clear and specific. You can use questions such as the following to guide your feedback:
Ideas and development: Does the writer express a clear main idea and develop it with evidence, examples, and analysis?
Organization: Does the writer order ideas in a clear, logical way so that the ideas build on one another and are easy to follow?
Sentence fluency: Do the writer's sentences vary in structure and length, or does the writing sound choppy, rambling, or repetitive?
Word choice: Does the writer use words accurately and precisely, avoiding excessive repetition or inappropriate language to create clear, effective, and engaging writing?
Grammar and mechanics: Does the writer use accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar to create writing that is correct and easy to read? | The writer could best improve his or her organization by providing the description of egrets when they are first introduced.
For example, the writer could move the underlined text to the beginning of the paragraph.
In the 1800 s, egrets were hunted in the United States for their long white plumes (feathers). As a result, the birds were nearly wiped out completely. Thankfully, conservation measures were put in place, and the birds were protected. In fact, in recent years, egrets have expanded their range northward, moving beyond their original habitat in the American South. The egret is a large white bird that lives near marshes, lakes, ponds, and other wetland areas. |
|
Select the mammal. | [
"Banggai cardinalfish",
"green moray eel",
"rabbit",
"arroyo toad"
] | 2 | 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 green moray eel is a fish. It lives underwater. It has fins, not limbs.
Eels are long and thin. They may have small fins. They look like snakes, but they are fish!
An arroyo toad is an amphibian. It has moist skin and begins its life in water.
Toads do not have teeth! They swallow their food whole.
A rabbit is a mammal. It has fur and feeds its young milk.
Rabbits live underground in burrows. A group of rabbit burrows is called a warren.
A Banggai cardinalfish is a fish. It lives underwater. It has fins, not limbs.
Cardinalfish often live near coral reefs. They are nocturnal, which means that they are active mostly at night. |
|
Complete the statement. Assume that the sled's mass did not change.
The gravitational potential energy stored between the sled and Earth () as Susan rode down the hill. | [
"stayed the same",
"increased",
"decreased"
] | 2 | Read the text about an object in motion.
On a snowy day, Susan rode her sled down a big hill. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Kinetic and potential energy | Identify changes in gravitational potential energy | Gravitational potential energy is stored between any two objects. So, for every object on or near Earth, there is gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth.
The amount of gravitational potential energy stored between an object and Earth depends on the mass of the object. The amount of gravitational potential energy also depends on the distance between the object and the center of Earth. This distance increases when the object moves higher and decreases when the object moves lower.
If the distance between an object and the center of Earth changes, the gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth will change. The table below shows how this change can happen.
When an object's mass stays the same and its distance from the center of Earth... | Gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth...
increases | increases
decreases | decreases
stays the same | stays the same | Think about how the distance between the sled and the center of Earth changed.
The bottom of the hill was lower than the point where Susan started sledding. As Susan rode toward the bottom of the hill, the distance between the sled and the center of Earth decreased. So, the gravitational potential energy stored between the sled and Earth decreased as Susan rode down the hill. |
What is the volume of a coffee pot? | [
"14 gallons",
"14 cups",
"14 fluid ounces"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using customary units, volume may be written in units of fluid ounces, cups, or gallons.
As the diagram shows, there are 8 fluid ounces in 1 cup and 16 cups in 1 gallon. So, 1 fluid ounce is less than 1 cup and much less than 1 gallon.
A glass of milk has a volume of about 8 fluid ounces, or 1 cup. A jug of milk has a volume of 1 gallon. | The best estimate for the volume of a coffee pot is 14 cups.
14 fluid ounces is too little and 14 gallons is too much. |
Based on this information, what is this plant's phenotype for the flower form trait? | [
"single flowers",
"double flowers"
] | 0 | This passage describes the flower form trait in rose plants:
In a group of rose plants, some individuals have double flowers and others have single flowers. In this group, the gene for the flower form trait has two alleles. The allele for single flowers (f) is recessive to the allele for double flowers (F).
A certain rose plant from this group has the homozygous genotype ff for the flower form gene. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | The rose plant's genotype for the flower form gene is ff. The rose plant's genotype of ff has only f alleles. The f allele is for single flowers. So, the rose plant's phenotype for the flower form trait must be single flowers.
To check this answer, consider whether the rose plant's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for single flowers (f) is recessive to the allele for double flowers (F). This means F is a dominant allele, and f is a recessive allele.
The rose plant's genotype of ff has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, the rose plant's phenotype for the flower form trait must be single flowers. |
What do these two changes have in common?
a sidewalk heating up in the sun
pouring milk on oatmeal | [
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 3 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, ice melting is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
A sidewalk heating up in the sun is a physical change. The temperature of the sidewalk goes up, but the sidewalk is still made of the same type of matter.
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.
A sidewalk getting warm in the sun is caused by heating. But pouring milk on oatmeal is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
What does the simile in this text suggest?
Monica rubbed coconut oil on her hands, which were like the parched earth during a drought. | [
"Monica's hands were dry and cracked.",
"Monica's hands were hot."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret the figure of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night. | The text includes a simile, using like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The simile like the parched earth during a drought suggests that Monica's hands were dry and cracked. A drought is a period without rain; the ground during a drought can become hard and cracked. |
|
Which text uses the word nauseous in its traditional sense? | [
"Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but it made Marco feel rather nauseous.",
"Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but Marco found the smell rather nauseous."
] | 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 nauseous in its traditional sense: causing disgust or nausea.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but Marco found the smell rather nauseous.
The first text uses nauseous in its nontraditional sense: feeling disgusted or nauseated.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but it made Marco feel rather nauseous.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word nauseous because it is considered more standard. |
|
Which object has more thermal energy? | [
"a 150-gram glass of water at a temperature of 85°F",
"a 150-gram glass of water at a temperature of 40°F"
] | 0 | The objects are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Heat and thermal energy | How is temperature related to thermal energy? | All solids, liquids, and gases are made of matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles that are always moving. The energy from the motion of these particles is called thermal energy.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the particles in matter move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher temperature. | The two glasses of water have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 85°F glass of water is hotter than the 40°F glass of water, it has more thermal energy. |
Would you find the word tame on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
thief - tortillas | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade8 | 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 tame is not between the guide words thief - tortillas, it would not be found on that page. |
|
What does the euphemism in this text suggest?
Tiana is between jobs right now, so she's selling some of her old jewelry to help pay the bills. | [
"Tiana is unemployed.",
"Tiana is short on cash."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret the figure of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off. | The text uses a euphemism, a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The euphemism between jobs means that Tiana is unemployed. |
|
How long is a pen? | [
"6 inches",
"6 yards"
] | 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 pen is 6 inches.
6 yards is too long. |
Which bowl of cereal has a lower temperature? | [
"the bowl of cereal with less thermal energy",
"the bowl of cereal with more thermal energy"
] | 0 | Two bowls of cereal are identical except for their thermal energies. | 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 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 bowls of cereal are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the bowl of cereal with less thermal energy has a lower temperature. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Porter remarked that the new book on anti-gravity was impossible to put down. | [
"allusion",
"pun"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: review | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses a pun, a word or phrase that humorously suggests more than one meaning.
Impossible to put down means that the book is so good that it is hard to stop reading. The phrase impossible to put down is also a joke about anti-gravity: if gravity pulls things down, perhaps anti-gravity does the opposite and makes them impossible to put down. |
|
Which is the stickiest? | [
"book",
"steel beam",
"syrup"
] | 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. | Sticky is a property. A sticky material easily attaches to other things.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine touching the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the syrup is the stickiest. If you touch syrup, it will stick to you. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Dr. Duran is unhappy with her new assistant because simple tasks, like fetching coffee, take him years to finish. | [
"euphemism",
"hyperbole"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses hyperbole, an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
Take him years to finish is an exaggeration, since it probably does not take him entire years to fetch coffee. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"After Anna separated the walnuts from the shells, she placed them in a wooden bowl.",
"Anna placed the walnuts in a wooden bowl after she separated them from the shells."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns and antecedents | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The first answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun them could refer to the walnuts or the shells.
After Anna separated the walnuts from the shells, she placed them in a wooden bowl.
The second answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. The text has been rewritten so that the meaning is clear.
Anna placed the walnuts in a wooden bowl after she separated them from the shells. |
|
Which phrase has a more positive connotation? | [
"a willful attitude",
"a resolute attitude"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | vocabulary | Shades of meaning | Positive and negative connotation | Connotation is the feeling or idea that goes along with a word or phrase. Some words are close in meaning but have different connotations.
For example, think about the words eager and impatient. They both mean wanting something to happen, but they have different connotations.
Eager has a positive connotation. It is a nice word. An eager person is happy and excited.
Impatient has a negative connotation. It is not a nice word. An impatient person is often pushy and demanding. | A resolute attitude has a more positive connotation. Resolute and willful both denote being determined. However, resolute suggests acting with conviction and dedication, while willful suggests being disobedient. |
|
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"Your niece,\nErin",
"Your Niece,\nErin"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear Grandpa Brian,",
"Dear grandpa brian,"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The first greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Grandpa Brian is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
an old sandwich rotting in a trashcan
chicken cooking in an oven | [
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, ice melting is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
A sandwich rotting is a chemical change. The matter in the sandwich breaks down and slowly turns into a different type of matter.
Cooking chicken is a chemical change. The heat causes the matter in the chicken to change. Cooked chicken and raw chicken are different types of matter.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Cooking is caused by heating. But a sandwich rotting is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a movie? | [
"Nothing but Net",
"nothing but Net"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | capitalization | Formatting | Capitalizing titles | In a title, capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between.
The Wind in the Willows James and the Giant Peach
These words are not important in titles:
Articles, a, an, the
Short prepositions, such as at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up
Coordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, or | Capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between. The word but is not important, so it should not be capitalized.
The correct title is Nothing but Net. |
|
Complete the sentence.
John Deere was a famous (). | [
"inventor",
"pilot",
"astronaut",
"writer"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | social science | us-history | Historical figures | John Deere | John Deere was a famous American inventor. An inventor is someone who comes up with items or ideas that have never been made before.
John Deere was born in 1804. |
||
What does the allusion in this text suggest?
With the gutters clogged and water rising in the streets, Christina, who was watching the storm from her window, commented, "We're going to need an ark to get out of here." | [
"Christina thinks the storm will cause major flooding.",
"Christina plans to build a boat."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret the figure of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked. | The text uses an allusion, a brief reference to someone or something well known.
The allusion to an ark suggests that Christina thinks the storm will cause major flooding. In the Bible, it rains for forty days and forty nights; Noah, his family, and animals of every species survive the great flood in an ark that he builds. |
|
Select the reptile. | [
"hippopotamus",
"emerald tree boa",
"gray wolf",
"elephant seal"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians | Reptiles have scaly, waterproof skin. Most reptiles live on land. | An emerald tree boa is a reptile. It has scaly, waterproof skin.
Tree boas eat small mammals, birds, lizards, and frogs. Tree boas only need to eat once every few months!
A gray wolf is a mammal. It has fur and feeds its young milk.
Wolves often live in family groups. A wolf mother, father, and their children travel together.
An elephant seal is a mammal. It has hair and feeds its young milk.
Seals have flippers instead of arms! They use their flippers to swim underwater or to crawl on the beach.
A hippopotamus is a mammal. It has hair and feeds its young milk.
Hippopotamuses keep cool by lying in mud or water. |
|
Compare the motion of three cars. Which car was moving at the lowest speed? | [
"a car that moved 525kilometers east in 10hours",
"a car that moved 1,025kilometers south in 10hours",
"a car that moved 360kilometers west in 10hours"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the kilometer.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving the slowest will go the shortest distance in that time. It is moving at the lowest speed. | Look at the distance each car moved and the time it took to move that distance. The direction each car moved does not affect its speed.
Notice that each car moved for 10 hours. The car that moved 360 kilometers moved the shortest distance in that time. So, that car must have moved at the lowest speed. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"If Eve's skirt doesn't match the blouse, she will have to exchange the blouse for another item.",
"If Eve's skirt doesn't match the blouse, she will have to exchange it for another item."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The first answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun it could refer to Eve's skirt or the blouse.
The second answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. It has been replaced with the blouse.
If Eve's skirt doesn't match the blouse, she will have to exchange the blouse for another item. |
|
Does the sentence use a simile or a metaphor?
Philip swam with ease across the swimming pool, like a dolphin. | [
"metaphor",
"simile"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Identify similes and metaphors | Similes and metaphors are figures of speech that compare two things that are not actually alike.
A simile compares two things by saying that one is like the other. Similes often use the words like and as.
My sister runs like a cheetah.
The sister's running and a cheetah's running are compared using the word like.
A cheetah is known for running fast, so the simile means that the sister also runs fast.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
The cat's fur and the night are compared using the word as.
The night is dark, so the simile means that the cat's fur is also dark.
A metaphor compares two things by saying that one of them is the other. Unlike similes, metaphors don't use the word like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
The snow and a blanket are compared without the word like or as.
A blanket is a large piece of cloth that completely covers a bed. The metaphor makes the reader imagine that the snow becomes a blanket, covering the town completely.
Using similes and metaphors in your writing can help you create an interesting picture for the reader. | Philip swam with ease across the swimming pool, like a dolphin.
The words Philip and dolphin are compared using the word like. So, the sentence uses a simile. |
|
How long is a basketball court? | [
"22 kilometers",
"22 meters"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric 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 16 long. You might be thinking, 16 what? Is the pencil 16 centimeters long? 16 meters? 16 kilometers?
The number 16 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 centimeters. So, the length of the pencil is 16 centimeters.
There are 100 centimeters in 1 meter. So, 1 centimeter is much shorter than 1 meter.
There are 1,000 meters in 1 kilometer. So, 1 meter is much shorter than 1 kilometer. | The better estimate for the length of a basketball court is 22 meters.
22 kilometers is too long. |
Which would stretch the most? | [
"cobalt",
"rubber toy",
"aluminum foil"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. Some examples of properties are shiny, hard, fragile, and stretchy.
For example, a shiny material reflects a lot of light. A fragile material breaks when you drop it. | Stretchy is a property. A stretchy material gets longer when you pull on it.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine pulling on the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the rubber toy would stretch the most. If you pull on the arms of a rubber stretch toy, they will get longer. |
|
Select the solid. | [
"milk",
"water in a fishbowl",
"rain puddle",
"beans"
] | 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. | The water in a fishbowl is a liquid. A liquid takes the shape of any container it is in. If you pour water from a fishbowl 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.
Milk is a liquid. A liquid takes the shape of any container it is in. If you pour milk into a different container, the milk will take the shape of that container. But the milk will still take up the same amount of space.
A rain puddle is a liquid. A liquid takes the shape of any container it is in. If you collect rainwater in a bucket, the rainwater will take the shape of the bucket. But the rainwater will still take up the same amount of space.
A bean is a solid. A solid has a size and shape of its own. If you put many beans into a jar, the group of beans will take the shape of the jar, as a liquid would. But be careful! A bean is not a liquid. Each bean still has a size and shape of its own. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
Rosa put a bandage on my cut. | [
"declarative",
"exclamatory"
] | 0 | 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 tells about something, and it ends with a period. It is a declarative sentence. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Strips of tinfoil winking like people . . .
—Sylvia Plath, "The Bee Meeting" | [
"apostrophe",
"assonance"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: anaphora, antithesis, apostrophe, assonance, chiasmus, understatement | 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.
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 assonance, the repetition of a vowel sound in a series of nearby words.
The words strips, tinfoil, and winking share a vowel sound. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
At twenty-one, Darnel felt overwhelmed with adult responsibilities and wished he could fly off to Neverland. | [
"onomatopoeia",
"allusion"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: review | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses an allusion, a brief reference to someone or something well known.
Neverland alludes to the story of Peter Pan, a boy who lived in Neverland and never grew up. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
whittle - women | [
"widow",
"wares"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | 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 widow is between the guide words whittle - women, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which is a complex sentence? | [
"If you thought that dish was spicy, this dish will set your mouth on fire.",
"Avalanches can reach speeds of eighty miles per hour within five seconds."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The second sentence is the complex sentence. It is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause begins with the subordinating conjunction if.
If you thought that dish was spicy, this dish will set your mouth on fire. |
|
In 1940, scientists invented a new form of synthetic, or artificial, rubber. It was cheaper to work with than natural rubber. What happened to the overall supply of rubber tires after 1940? | [
"The supply went down.",
"The supply went up."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | Rubber is a resource used to make tires. Synthetic rubber is cheaper to work with than natural rubber.
When synthetic rubber was invented, rubber tires became cheaper to make. Producers could make more synthetic rubber tires for the same cost. So, the supply of rubber tires went up. |
|
Which bath towel has a higher temperature? | [
"the bath towel with more thermal energy",
"the bath towel with less thermal energy"
] | 0 | Two 475-gram bath towels 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 move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher 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 bath towels are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the bath towel with more thermal energy has a higher temperature. |
Based on this information, what is Dallas's phenotype for the coat color trait? | [
"a red coat",
"a black coat"
] | 1 | In a group of cows, some individuals have a black coat and others have a red coat. In this group, the gene for the coat color trait has two alleles. The allele for a red coat (l) is recessive to the allele for a black coat (L).
Dallas is a cow from this group. Dallas has the heterozygous genotype Ll for the coat color gene. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | You need to determine Dallas's phenotype for the coat color trait. First, consider the alleles in Dallas's genotype for the coat color gene. Then, decide whether these alleles are dominant or recessive.
The allele for a red coat (l) is recessive to the allele for a black coat (L). This means L is a dominant allele, and l is a recessive allele.
Dallas's genotype of Ll has one dominant allele and one recessive allele. An organism with at least one dominant allele for a gene will have the dominant allele's version of the trait. So, Dallas's phenotype for the coat color trait must be a black coat. |
Is there a sentence fragment?
Even though rainbows often appear to contain a band of purple. It's just an optical illusion. | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 1 | 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. | There is a sentence fragment that does not express a complete thought.
Even though rainbows often appear to contain a band of purple. It's just an optical illusion.
Here is one way to fix the sentence fragment:
Even though rainbows often appear to contain a band of purple, it's just an optical illusion. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
I don't trust Professor Silva's findings. Another researcher at her university was caught falsifying data. So, it's likely Professor Silva has, too. | [
"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",
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a broad claim based on too few observations
slippery slope fallacy | the false assumption that a small first step will necessarily lead to extreme consequences
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that Professor Silva's research is untrustworthy because someone else at her university was caught falsifying data. However, this isn't necessarily true. The practices of one researcher at a university do not necessarily reflect the practices of another researcher at the same university. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as guilt by association. |
|
Based on this information, what is Smudge'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).
Smudge is a cat from this group. Smudge has the homozygous genotype bb for the body hair gene. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Smudge's genotype for the body hair gene is bb. Smudge's genotype of bb has only b alleles. The b allele is for a hairless body. So, Smudge's phenotype for the body hair trait must be a hairless body.
To check this answer, consider whether Smudge'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.
Smudge'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, Smudge's phenotype for the body hair trait must be a hairless body. |
Which word does not rhyme? | [
"dull",
"sell",
"tell"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | phonological-awareness | Rhyming | Which word does not rhyme? | Rhyming words are words that end with the same sound.
The words tip and slip rhyme. They both end with the same sound.
The words meet and treat also rhyme. They both end with the same sound, even though the sound has two different spellings.
The words tip and meet don't rhyme. They end with different sounds. | The words sell and tell rhyme. They both end with the ell sound.
The word dull does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Kiara investigate with an experiment? | [
"Do small rocks or large rocks skip more times when thrown across the river?",
"Do round rocks or flat rocks skip more times when thrown across the river?",
"Do rocks skip more times when thrown across a river or across a pond?"
] | 0 | Kiara likes to skip rocks at the river. She notices that some of the rocks she throws skip off the surface of the water many times, while others skip once and then sink. She wonders what factors affect how well rocks skip on the water. So, she decides to design an experiment. She has the following supplies available:
10 small flat rocks
10 large flat rocks
access to the river by her school | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Suppose Latrell decides to see the crocodiles. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Latrell will spend more time walking to the crocodiles. They are on the other side of the zoo, but the grizzly bears are close by.",
"Latrell will enjoy seeing the crocodiles more than he would have enjoyed seeing the grizzly bears."
] | 0 | Latrell is deciding whether to see the crocodiles or the grizzly bears at the zoo. He wants to see lots of animals, but the zoo is closing soon. | 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 Latrell wants or needs:
Latrell will spend more time walking to the crocodiles. They are on the other side of the zoo, but the grizzly bears are close by. |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Franklin can ride a motorcycle. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | People are not born knowing how to ride a motorcycle. Instead, many people learn how to ride. So, riding a motorcycle is an acquired trait. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Kendra's phone slipped out of her pocket, landing in the toilet with a plop. | [
"onomatopoeia",
"verbal irony"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: review | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses onomatopoeia, a word that expresses a sound.
Plop represents the sound of the phone landing in the toilet. |
|
Would you find the word running on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
rapidly - resign | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade8 | 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 running is not between the guide words rapidly - resign, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Select the one animal that has all of the bony fish traits listed above. | [
"Common snapping turtles hatch from eggs with shells. They have powerful beaks. When a snapping turtle is threatened by a predator, it snaps its beak! Snapping turtles have scaly, waterproof skin.",
"Common carp have a bony skeleton and lay eggs without shells. A single carp can lay over a million eggs per year! Carp live in freshwater and are eaten by people in many countries. Some colorful varieties are called koi."
] | 1 | Bony fish are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify bony fish:
They have fins, not limbs.
They live underwater.
They have a skeleton made of cartilage.
They make eggs with no shells. Observe the animals and read the descriptions. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Use evidence to classify animals | Scientists sort animals with similar traits into groups. This is called classification. Classification helps scientists learn about how animals live.
How do scientists classify animals? First, they make observations about an animal. Scientists observe the animal's traits, including its body parts and behavior. Then, scientists compare the animal's traits to other animals' traits. Scientists classify animals with similar traits into a group. | To decide if an animal is part of a group, look at the traits of the group.
Bony fish have the following traits:
They have fins, not limbs.
They live underwater.
They have a skeleton made of cartilage.
They make eggs with no shells.
Compare each animal's traits to the group's traits. Select the animal with traits similar to the group's traits.
A common snapping turtle has the following traits:
It has scaly, waterproof skin.
It makes eggs with shells.
A common snapping turtle does not have all of the traits of a bony fish. A common snapping turtle is a reptile.
A common carp has the following traits:
It has fins, not limbs.
It lives underwater.
It has a skeleton made of cartilage.
It makes eggs with no shells.
A common carp has the traits of a bony fish. A common carp is a bony fish. |
Which is harder? | [
"rope",
"ice cube"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. | 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 ice cube is harder. If you squeeze an ice cube, it will not change shape, unless it starts to melt! |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"According to many scholars, the 1798 publication of Lyrical Ballads by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth began the romantic period in English literature.",
"On the ferry to Ellis Island, Eve took a photograph, and now it's sitting in a frame on her dresser at home."
] | 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 and.
On the ferry to Ellis Island, Eve took a photograph, and now it's sitting in a frame on her dresser at home. |
|
Complete the sentences.
The Sixth Amendment talks about criminal trials. It says that all criminal trials must be speedy and public. It also says that anyone accused of a crime has the right to (). | [
"stay at home during his or her trial",
"pick his or her own judge",
"lie to the court",
"get help from a lawyer"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade4 | social science | civics | Government | The Bill of Rights | The Sixth Amendment says that all criminal trials must be speedy and public. It also says that anyone accused of a crime has the right to get help from a lawyer. A lawyer is a person trained in the law. If someone cannot afford to hire a lawyer, the government will pay for one. Usually these lawyers are called public defenders. There are more than 15,000 public defenders in the United States. They defend people in millions of criminal cases every year. Part of the text of the Sixth Amendment is below. Notice the phrases "speedy and public trial" and "assistance of counsel." Does the text mention any other rules for trials? In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed. . .and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. |
||
Which object has the least thermal energy? | [
"a stick of butter at a temperature of 60°F",
"a stick of butter at a temperature of 49°F",
"a stick of butter at a temperature of 43°F"
] | 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 sticks of butter have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 43°F stick of butter is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy. |
Compare the motion of two blue whales. Which blue whale was moving at a lower speed? | [
"a blue whale that moved 55miles in 5hours",
"a blue whale that moved 50miles in 5hours"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the 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 blue whale moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One blue whale moved 50 miles in 5 hours.
The other blue whale moved 55 miles in 5 hours.
Notice that each blue whale spent the same amount of time moving. The blue whale that moved 50 miles moved a shorter distance in that time. So, that blue whale must have moved at a lower speed. |
|
Compare the motion of three cars. Which car was moving at the lowest speed? | [
"a car that moved 210miles west in 5hours",
"a car that moved 160miles north in 5hours",
"a car that moved 225miles south in 5hours"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the mile.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving the slowest will go the shortest distance in that time. It is moving at the lowest speed. | Look at the distance each car moved and the time it took to move that distance. The direction each car moved does not affect its speed.
Notice that each car moved for 5 hours. The car that moved 160 miles moved the shortest distance in that time. So, that car must have moved at the lowest speed. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a book? | [
"I Took the Moon for a Walk",
"I Took the moon for a Walk"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | capitalization | Formatting | Capitalizing titles | In a title, capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between.
The Wind in the Willows James and the Giant Peach
These words are not important in titles:
Articles, a, an, the
Short prepositions, such as at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up
Coordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, or | Capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between. The words the, for, and a are not important, so they should not be capitalized.
The correct title is I Took the Moon for a Walk. |
|
Which type of sentence is this?
Devin took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. | [
"simple",
"compound",
"compound-complex",
"complex"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | 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 simple. It is a single independent clause.
Devin took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. |
|
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"Best Wishes,\nCarson",
"Best wishes,\nCarson"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | capitalization | Capitalization | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The first closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Rebecca used an old broom to clean up the broken glass before throwing it away.",
"Rebecca used an old broom to clean up the broken glass before throwing the broken glass away."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns and antecedents | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The first answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun it could refer to the old broom or the broken glass.
The second answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. It has been replaced with the broken glass.
Rebecca used an old broom to clean up the broken glass before throwing the broken glass away. |
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