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Which word does not rhyme? | [
"plane",
"grade",
"made"
] | 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 grade and made rhyme. They both end with the ade sound.
The word plane does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
You argue that vegetarianism can have a positive impact on the environment, but why should we believe you? I've seen you eat bacon! | [
"slippery slope fallacy: the false assumption that a small first step will lead to extreme consequences",
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good",
"ad hominem: an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a broad claim based on too few observations
slippery slope fallacy | the false assumption that a small first step will necessarily lead to extreme consequences
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that a person who eats bacon cannot offer a believable argument on vegetarianism. This is a personal attack that isn't relevant to whether the argument is valid. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as ad hominem. |
|
Which object has more thermal energy? | [
"a 700-gram rock at a temperature of 125°F",
"a 700-gram rock at a temperature of 165°F"
] | 1 | The objects are identical except for their temperatures. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Heat and thermal energy | How is temperature related to thermal energy? | All solids, liquids, and gases are made of matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles that are always moving. The energy from the motion of these particles is called thermal energy.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the particles in matter move faster, the temperature goes up. The matter now has both more thermal energy and a higher temperature. | The two rocks have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 165°F rock is hotter than the 125°F rock, it has more thermal energy. |
Based on this information, what is Alfalfa's genotype for the horns gene? | [
"HH",
"not having horns"
] | 0 | In a group of cows, some individuals have horns and others do not. In this group, the gene for the horns trait has two alleles. The allele H is for not having horns, and the allele h is for having horns.
Alfalfa, a cow from this group, does not have horns. Alfalfa has two alleles for not having horns. | 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 genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. Alfalfa has two alleles for not having horns (H). So, Alfalfa's genotype for the horns gene is HH. |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
The Patton family is going to spend two weeks in Ocean City, but for Xavier it will be a working vacation, since he'll be checking in with the office every day. | [
"euphemism",
"oxymoron"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses an oxymoron, a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Working vacation is a contradiction, because going on a vacation implies that you are taking a break from work. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Alan has naturally pale skin. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 1 | Hint: Humans are born with their skin color. | 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. | Humans do not choose their skin color. Babies get their skin color from their parents. So, Alan's skin color is an inherited trait. |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Haley has naturally red hair. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 1 | Hint: Some people dye their hair. But this does not change their natural hair color. | 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. | Humans do not choose their natural hair color. Instead, children get their natural hair color from their parents. So, Haley's hair color is an inherited trait. |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Trent can play the flute. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 0 | 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 play the flute. Instead, some people learn how to play. So, playing the flute is an acquired trait. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Those images that yet
Fresh images beget,
That dolphin-torn, that gong-tormented sea.
—W. B. Yeats, "Byzantium" | [
"assonance",
"chiasmus"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | 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 yet, fresh, beget, and tormented share a vowel sound. |
|
What is the mass of an elephant? | [
"6,615 kilograms",
"6,615 grams"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of mass | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Mass is a measurement of how much matter something contains.
There are many different units of mass. When you are using metric units, mass may be written with units of grams or kilograms.
There are 1,000 grams in 1 kilogram. So, 1 gram is much less than 1 kilogram.
A paper clip has a mass of about 1 gram, while a textbook has a mass of about 1 kilogram. | The better estimate for the mass of an elephant is 6,615 kilograms.
6,615 grams is too light. |
Based on this information, what is Candy's phenotype for the albinism trait? | [
"not having albinism",
"having albinism"
] | 0 | This passage describes the albinism trait in rats:
In a group of rats, some individuals have albinism and others do not. In this group, the gene for the albinism trait has two alleles. The allele for not having albinism (A) is dominant over the allele for having albinism (a).
Candy is a rat from this group. Candy has the heterozygous genotype Aa for the albinism 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. | You need to determine Candy's phenotype for the albinism trait. First, consider the alleles in Candy's genotype for the albinism gene. Then, decide whether these alleles are dominant or recessive.
The allele for not having albinism (A) is dominant over the allele for having albinism (a). This means A is a dominant allele, and a is a recessive allele.
Candy's genotype of Aa 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, Candy's phenotype for the albinism trait must be not having albinism. |
What information supports the conclusion that Malia acquired this trait? | [
"Malia is in the Air Force. She flies a plane almost every day.",
"A pilot taught Malia how to fly a plane.",
"Malia can fly a plane on cloudy days and at night."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Malia knows how to fly a plane. | 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. | |
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
After spending weeks in New York City, Valeria was a bit unnerved by the deafening silence of her small hometown. | [
"euphemism",
"oxymoron"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses an oxymoron, a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Deafening silence is a contradiction, because deafening describes something extremely loud, and silence is the absence of sound. |
|
Which sentence is more formal? | [
"Christina did not enter student politics until her junior year.",
"Christina didn't enter student politics until her junior year."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | writing-strategies | Author's purpose and tone | Which sentence is more formal? | Formal writing is used for essays, business letters, and reports. The following types of informal language should be avoided in formal writing:
Type | Examples
slang | cool, awesome
idioms | knock your socks off
conversational language | gonna, kinda, yeah
abbreviated language | ASAP, FYI
overly simple or imprecise language | he got some stuff at the store
contractions | can't, won't
Contractions are not as informal as the other types, but they should be used sparingly in formal writing.
Compare the following sentences. The first is informal. The second is formal.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but they're awesome runners.
Formal: Though ostriches are flightless, they are remarkably adept runners.
| The first sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses a contraction (didn't).
The second sentence does not use a contraction, so it is more formal. |
|
Choose the poem that uses end rhyme. | [
"All the many sounds of nature\nBorrowed sweetness from his songs;\nAll the hearts of men were softened\nBy the sadness of his music;\nFor he sang of peace and freedom,\nSang of beauty, love, and longing.",
"Six white eggs on a bed of hay,\nFlecked with purple, a pretty sight:\nThere as the mother sits all day,\nRobert is singing with all his might,\nBob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,\nSpink, spank, spink."
] | 1 | From William Cullen Bryant, "Robert of Lincoln" and adapted from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "Hiawatha's Friends" | closed choice | grade4 | language science | reading-comprehension | Poetry elements | Identify elements of poetry | Poetry is a special kind of writing. It has many elements that make it different from ordinary writing. Knowing these elements can help you talk about poetry, understand it better, and enjoy it more.
A poem rhymes when it has a pattern of words that end in the same sound.
End rhyme is when the rhymes appear at the end of a poem's lines.
Little Betty Blue,
Lost her holiday shoe.
—From Mother Goose
Internal rhyme is when at least one of the rhyming words appears inside the poem's lines.
Sweet dreams of pleasant streams.
—From William Blake, "A Cradle Song"
Rhythm is the pattern of strong and weak syllables, or stress, in a poem. You can recognize rhythm in a poem by listening to how it sounds. Poems with regular rhythm have a beat, like in music.
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.
—From Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "The Eagle"
The syllables in bold are strong. We say them with more force than the other syllables. In this poem, every weak syllable is followed by a strong syllable. Each line sounds like da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM. To better hear the rhythm, try reading it aloud while clapping on each strong syllable.
Free verse is when a poem has neither a regular rhythm nor a rhyme pattern.
The old bridge has a wrinkled face.
He bends his back
For us to go over.
—From Hilda Conkling, "The Old Bridge"
The syllables in bold are strong. You can see this poem does not have a regular rhythm. It also doesn't have a rhyme pattern.
Repetition is when words, phrases, or whole lines are repeated.
The dainty flying squirrel
In vest of shining white,
In coat of silver gray,
And vest of shining white.
—Adapted from Mary E. Burt, "The Flying Squirrel"
Alliteration is when beginning consonant sounds are repeated in words that are close together.
Where the wild men watched and waited
Wolves in the forest, and bears in the bush.
—From Bayard Taylor, "A Night with a Wolf"
Onomatopoeia is when language sounds like what it talks about.
Sometimes the onomatopoeia uses made-up words:
Tlot-tlot! tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse hoofs ringing clear.
—From Alfred Noyes, "The Highwayman"
Sometimes the onomatopoeia uses real words:
Hark! the honey bee is humming.
—From Mary Howitt, "The Voice of Spring" | This poem uses end rhyme. Its rhymes come at the end of its lines.
Flecked with purple, a pretty sight:
Spink, spank, spink. |
Based on this information, what is this rose plant's phenotype for the flower form trait? | [
"single flowers",
"ff"
] | 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 F is for double flowers, and the allele f is for single flowers.
A certain rose plant from this group has single flowers. This plant has two alleles for single flowers. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: genotype and phenotype | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait. | An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait. The rose plant's observable version of the flower form trait is single flowers. So, the plant's phenotype for the flower form trait is single flowers. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Denise said there's no way Scotland's Loch Ness Monster is real, but she's not even Scottish, so there's no way she could really know. | [
"slippery slope fallacy: the false assumption that a small first step will lead to extreme consequences",
"ad hominem: an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself",
"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 Denise's claim that the Loch Ness Monster isn't real is not valid because she's not Scottish. This is a personal attack on Denise's background that isn't relevant to whether her claim is valid. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as ad hominem. |
|
Compare the motion of two birds. Which bird was moving at a higher speed? | [
"a bird that moved 5miles in 10hours",
"a bird that moved 40miles in 10hours"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the mile.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about two objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving faster will go a farther distance in that time. It is moving at a higher speed. | Look at the distance each bird moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One bird moved 40 miles in 10 hours.
The other bird moved 5 miles in 10 hours.
Notice that each bird spent the same amount of time moving. The bird that moved 40 miles moved a farther distance in that time. So, that bird must have moved at a higher speed. |
|
Would you find the word inventor on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
idle - irrigate | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 1 | yes or no | grade6 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since inventor is between the guide words idle - irrigate, it would be found on that page. |
|
Compare the motion of three geese. Which goose was moving at the highest speed? | [
"a goose that moved 635kilometers west in 10hours",
"a goose that moved 680kilometers east in 10hours",
"a goose that moved 1,435kilometers south 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 fastest will go the farthest distance in that time. It is moving at the highest speed. | Look at the distance each goose moved and the time it took to move that distance. The direction each goose moved does not affect its speed.
Notice that each goose moved for 10 hours. The goose that moved 1,435 kilometers moved the farthest distance in that time. So, that goose must have moved at the highest speed. |
|
Compare the motion of two bicycles. Which bicycle was moving at a lower speed? | [
"a bicycle that moved 150miles in 5hours",
"a bicycle that moved 55miles 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 bicycle moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One bicycle moved 55 miles in 5 hours.
The other bicycle moved 150 miles in 5 hours.
Notice that each bicycle spent the same amount of time moving. The bicycle that moved 55 miles moved a shorter distance in that time. So, that bicycle must have moved at a lower speed. |
|
How long does it take to watch a movie at the theater? | [
"2 hours",
"2 minutes"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose units of time | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that the bus leaves in 7. You might be thinking, 7 what? Does the bus leave in 7 minutes? 7 seconds?
The number 7 on its own does not give you much information about when the bus is leaving. That is because the units are missing.
Time is usually measured in units of seconds, minutes, or hours. It takes about 1 second to sneeze and 1 minute to get dressed in the morning. It takes about 1 hour to bake a pie in the oven.
There are 60 seconds in 1 minute. So, 1 second is much less than 1 minute.
There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. So, 1 minute is much less than 1 hour. | The better estimate for how long it takes to watch a movie at the theater is 2 hours.
2 minutes is too fast. |
Is the student text plagiarized? | [
"Yes, because it fails to use quotation marks.",
"No, it is not plagiarized.",
"Yes, because it fails to use quotation marks and fails to cite the source.",
"Yes, because it fails to cite the source."
] | 2 | Compare the student text with the source.
Source: Paul Krugman, "The Big Meh." Published in The New York Times 25 May 2015.
At this point, the whole digital era, spanning more than four decades, is looking like a disappointment. New technologies have yielded great headlines, but modest economic results.
Student text:
It has been said that the new technologies of the digital era have yielded great headlines, but modest economic results. | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Research skills | Identify plagiarism | Plagiarism is the act of taking another person's work or ideas and presenting them as your own, either accidentally or on purpose. When you use an outside source in your own writing, you should make sure to cite the source in order to avoid plagiarism. Consider the following source:
Fisher, Goddu, and Keil, "Searching for Explanations: How the Internet Inflates Estimates of Internal Knowledge." Copyright 2015 by the American Psychological Association
The results of these experiments suggest that searching the Internet may cause a systematic failure to recognize the extent to which we rely on outsourced knowledge. Searching for explanations on the Internet inflates self-assessed knowledge in unrelated domains.
If you use a direct quotation in your writing, you must use quotation marks around the exact words that were copied from the source, in addition to citing the source.
Researchers have found that relying on the Internet for information may cause a systematic failure to recognize the extent to which we rely on outsourced knowledge.
This sentence is plagiarized because it uses the source's exact words without quotation marks and without properly citing the source.
Researchers have found that relying on the Internet for information "may cause a systematic failure to recognize the extent to which we rely on outsourced knowledge" (Fisher, Goddu, and Keil).
If you paraphrase a source, or put a source's ideas into your own words, you must still cite the source. Even if properly cited, a paraphrase that is too similar to the source in wording or sentence structure is still considered plagiarized.
According to Fisher, Goddu, and Keil, searching the Internet can lead to a regular failure to perceive the extent to which we rely on outside knowledge.
This sentence is plagiarized because it is an insufficient paraphrase. Even though it is properly cited, it borrows too much of the source's wording and sentence structure.
According to Fisher, Goddu, and Keil, relying on the Internet to look up information can make it difficult for us to estimate how much of our knowledge comes from internal versus external sources.
There are different rules about how to format citations, such as when to include page numbers for print sources. Check a style guide, such as the Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, for a complete list of these rules. | The student text is plagiarized. It uses the source's exact words without quotation marks, and it also fails to cite the source.
It has been said that the new technologies of the digital era have yielded great headlines, but modest economic results.
Source: Paul Krugman, "The Big Meh." Published in The New York Times 25 May 2015.
At this point, the whole digital era, spanning more than four decades, is looking like a disappointment. New technologies have yielded great headlines, but modest economic results. |
Select the mammal. | [
"Tasmanian devil",
"clownfish",
"gray crowned crane",
"robin"
] | 0 | 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 gray crowned crane is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
Cranes wade in shallow water to look for food. Cranes eat insects, worms, and plants.
A clownfish is a fish. It lives underwater. It has fins, not limbs.
Clownfish live with animals called anemones. In the image of the clownfish, you can see the brown anemone surrounding the clownfish.
A Tasmanian devil is a mammal. It has fur and feeds its young milk.
Tasmanian devils are meat-eating marsupials. They live on the island of Tasmania, near Australia.
A robin is a bird. It has feathers, two wings, and a beak.
A robin is a songbird. It sings different songs at different times of the day. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Regan investigate with an experiment? | [
"Does a rubber ball travel farther when launched from a metal catapult or from a wooden catapult?",
"Does a catapult with a longer arm launch a rubber ball farther than a catapult with a shorter arm?",
"Does a heavier ball travel farther than a lighter ball when launched from a catapult?"
] | 1 | Regan visits a museum about ancient Greece. She notices an exhibit with models of wooden catapults that were used to launch large rocks across battlefields. She wonders what factors affect how far a catapult can launch an object. So, she decides to design an experiment. She has the following supplies available:
a wooden catapult with a 10-inch-long arm
a wooden catapult with a five-inch-long arm
two identical rubber balls | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
"I can't believe I tripped," Ernest remarked. "The curb must have ()". | [
"jumped out in front of me",
"been higher than I thought"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | writing-strategies | Creative techniques | Use personification | Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things. It is a figure of speech that can be used to make writing more interesting or to emphasize a point.
The trees danced in the wind.
The word danced describes the trees as if they were people. Unlike people, however, trees can't actually dance. Instead, the personification suggests that the trees are moving. | Complete the sentence with the phrase jumped out in front of me. It describes the curb as if it were a mischievous, unpredictable person. |
|
Which is a run-on sentence? | [
"Grandma sits on the bench she watches the birds.",
"The little boy popped a big bubble."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is it a complete sentence or a run-on? | A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. It has both a subject and a verb.
My friends walk along the path.
A run-on sentence is made up of two sentences that are joined without end punctuation or with just a comma.
I knocked on the door it opened.
It started raining, we ran inside.
To fix a run-on sentence, separate it into two sentences. Add end punctuation after the first sentence, and capitalize the second sentence.
I knocked on the door. It opened.
It started raining. We ran inside.
You can also fix a run-on sentence by rewriting it as a compound sentence. A compound sentence is two sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
I knocked on the door, and it opened.
It started raining, so we ran inside. | Grandma sits on the bench she watches the birds is a run-on sentence. It has two sentences that are joined without end punctuation: Grandma sits on the bench and She watches the birds. |
|
Is a blanket a good or a service? | [
"a good",
"a service"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | social science | economics | Basic economic principles | Goods and services | Everything you can buy is either a good or a service.
A good is something you can touch or hold in your hands. For example, a hammer is a good.
A service is a job you pay someone else to do. For example, cooking food in a restaurant is a service. | To decide whether a blanket is a good or a service, ask these questions:
Is a blanket something you can touch? Yes.
Is a blanket a job you might pay someone else to do? No.
So, a blanket is a good. |
|
What is the volume of a kiddie pool? | [
"250 gallons",
"250 cups",
"250 fluid ounces"
] | 0 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Volume is a measurement of how much space something takes up.
There are many different units of volume. When you are using customary units, volume may be written in units of fluid ounces, cups, or gallons.
As the diagram shows, there are 8 fluid ounces in 1 cup and 16 cups in 1 gallon. So, 1 fluid ounce is less than 1 cup and much less than 1 gallon.
A glass of milk has a volume of about 8 fluid ounces, or 1 cup. A jug of milk has a volume of 1 gallon. | The best estimate for the volume of a kiddie pool is 250 gallons.
250 fluid ounces and 250 cups are both too little. |
Is there a sentence fragment?
When scientists sequenced the DNA of domestic cats, they made a startling discovery. A remarkable similarity between the genomes of house cats and those of their feline relatives in the wild. | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Identify sentence fragments | A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought.
The band I'm in has been rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought.
Rehearsing daily because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing a subject. It doesn't tell who is rehearsing.
The band I'm in.
This fragment is missing a verb. It doesn't tell what the band I'm in is doing.
Because we have a concert in two weeks.
This fragment is missing an independent clause. It doesn't tell what happened because of the concert. | There is a sentence fragment that does not express a complete thought.
When scientists sequenced the DNA of domestic cats, they made a startling discovery. A remarkable similarity between the genomes of house cats and those of their feline relatives in the wild.
Here is one way to fix the sentence fragment:
When scientists sequenced the DNA of domestic cats, they made a startling discovery: a remarkable similarity between the genomes of house cats and those of their feline relatives in the wild. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
The Watson family is going to spend two weeks in Ocean City, but for Abdul it will be a working vacation, since he'll be checking in with the office every day. | [
"oxymoron",
"euphemism"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses an oxymoron, a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Working vacation is a contradiction, because going on a vacation implies that you are taking a break from work. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Mayor Preston wants to create more bicycle lanes in Hillsdale. Why is he forcing us to give up our cars and bike everywhere? | [
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good",
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | a personal attack meant to discredit one's opponent
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
red herring | the use of a completely unrelated topic in support of a claim
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a very broad claim based on very little evidence
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that creating more bike lanes means that Mayor Preston thinks that everyone should ride bicycles instead of cars. However, the fact that Mayor Preston wants more bike lanes doesn't necessarily suggest that the mayor is opposed to other forms of transportation. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as a straw man. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Melissa investigate with an experiment? | [
"Which type of sunflower grows more leaves?",
"Do sunflowers grow taller if they are planted in planter boxes or in pots?",
"Do sunflowers grow bigger in sunny planter boxes or in shady planter boxes?"
] | 2 | Melissa wants to grow sunflowers in her backyard garden. She notices that some sunflowers grow much taller than others. She is curious about what factors affect how sunflowers grow. So, she decides to design an experiment. She has the following supplies available:
seeds from one type of sunflower
soil
one wooden planter box in the sun
one wooden planter box in the shade
one plastic planter box in the sun
water | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
What information supports the conclusion that Logan inherited this trait? | [
"Logan's biological parents have wavy hair.",
"Logan's biological mother has long hair. Logan also has long hair.",
"Logan uses a headband to keep his wavy hair out of his face."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Logan has wavy hair. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"As John was walking with his friend Bob, Bob tripped on the uneven sidewalk.",
"As John was walking with his friend Bob, he tripped on the uneven sidewalk."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun he could refer to John or Bob.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. He has been replaced with Bob.
As John was walking with his friend Bob, Bob tripped on the uneven sidewalk. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a magazine? | [
"art in America",
"Art in America"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | capitalization | Formatting | Capitalizing titles | In a title, capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between.
The Wind in the Willows James and the Giant Peach
These words are not important in titles:
Articles, a, an, the
Short prepositions, such as at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up
Coordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, or | Capitalize the first word, the last word, and every important word in between. The word in is not important, so it should not be capitalized.
The correct title is Art in America. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Ava acquired this trait? | [
"When Ava was young, her grandmother taught her how to cut chili peppers.",
"Ava's friends like to make chili with her.",
"Ava learned how to make chili from a recipe book."
] | 2 | Read the description of a trait.
Ava knows how to make chili. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Would you find the word sack on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
snatch - stem | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade3 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since sack is not between the guide words snatch - stem, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"Thank you,\nMia",
"Thank You,\nMia"
] | 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 figure of speech is used in this text?
Emmy's Bistro used to be a great place to go for a delicious and carefully prepared dinner, but nobody goes there anymore: it's too crowded. | [
"paradox",
"oxymoron"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses a paradox, a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Nobody goes there anymore: it's too crowded at first appears to be contradictory, because if no one goes to the restaurant, then the restaurant should be empty, not crowded. However, it contains some truth: if a restaurant is frequently perceived to be too crowded, many people will no longer want to go there. |
|
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
The playground () the restless children. | [
"beckoned",
"interested"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | writing-strategies | Creative techniques | Use personification | Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things. It is a figure of speech that can be used to make writing more interesting or to emphasize a point.
The trees danced in the wind.
The word danced describes the trees as if they were people. Unlike people, however, trees can't actually dance. Instead, the personification suggests that the trees are moving. | Complete the sentence with the word beckoned. It describes the playground as if it were a person who called to the children. |
|
Which word does not rhyme? | [
"ride",
"mud",
"tide"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade1 | language science | phonological-awareness | Rhyming | Which word does not rhyme? | Rhyming words are words that end with the same sound.
The words tip and slip rhyme. They both end with the ip sound.
The words lake and make rhyme. They both end with the ake sound.
The words tip and lake don't rhyme. They end with different sounds. | The words tide and ride rhyme. They both end with the ide sound.
The word mud does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
Based on this information, what is Bolt's phenotype for the coat color trait? | [
"a red coat",
"ll"
] | 0 | 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 L is for a black coat, and the allele l is for a red coat.
Bolt, a cow from this group, has a red coat. Bolt has two alleles for a red coat. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: genotype and phenotype | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait. | An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait. Bolt's observable version of the coat color trait is a red coat. So, Bolt's phenotype for the coat color trait is a red coat. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Yogurt is a healthful dietary choice because it's good for you. | [
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself",
"false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist",
"straw man: a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against"
] | 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 yogurt is healthful because it's good for you. However, the "evidence" is just a restatement of the claim itself. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as circular reasoning. |
|
The donkeys move the carts at the same speed. Which cart is pulled with a larger force? | [
"a cart holding 45 pounds",
"a cart holding 87 pounds"
] | 1 | Two donkeys pull carts from the farmhouse to the yard. The carts are the same. Each cart is holding different tools. | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | How do mass and force affect motion? | A force is a push or a pull.
A force can make an object start moving or stop an object that is moving. A force can also make an object speed up, slow down, or change direction.
Forces can be different sizes.
Think about trying to move a heavy object and a light object. Imagine you want to move them at the same speed. You will need to use a larger force to move the heavy object. | Look for the cart that is heavier.
A cart holding 87 pounds is heavier than a cart holding 45 pounds. So, the cart holding 87 pounds needs a larger force to start moving at the same speed as the other cart. |
Using only these supplies, which question can Rosanne investigate with an experiment? | [
"When placed in the sun, will eight ounces of water in a glass jar or eight ounces of water in a plastic cup get warmer?",
"When placed in the sun, will eight ounces of water in a closed jar or eight ounces of water in an open jar get warmer?",
"Will eight ounces of carbonated water or eight ounces of tap water get warmer when placed in a jar in the sun?"
] | 1 | Rosanne leaves a glass jar of cold tea outside in full sunlight. When she goes to get it, she notices that the tea is warm. She wonders what factors affect how warm a liquid gets from sitting in the sunlight. So, she decides to design an experiment. She has the following supplies available:
two identical glass jars
two jar lids
tap water
a measuring cup
two thermometers | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Which object has the least thermal energy? | [
"a 100-gram mug of cider at a temperature of 152°F",
"a 100-gram mug of cider at a temperature of 139°F",
"a 100-gram mug of cider at a temperature of 132°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 mugs of cider have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 132°F mug of cider is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy. |
Which object has the least thermal energy? | [
"a pencil at a temperature of 58°F",
"a pencil at a temperature of 67°F",
"a pencil at a temperature of 64°F"
] | 0 | 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 pencils have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 58°F pencil is the coldest, it has the least thermal energy. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
identify - invisible | [
"improve",
"is"
] | 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 improve is between the guide words identify - invisible, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which bucket of water has a lower temperature? | [
"the bucket of water with more thermal energy",
"the bucket of water with less thermal energy"
] | 1 | Two 10-kilogram buckets of water are identical except for their thermal energies. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | physics | Thermal energy | How are temperature and mass related to thermal energy? | Matter is made of tiny particles called atoms. Atoms are always moving.
The energy of moving atoms is called thermal energy. The total amount of thermal energy in matter depends on three things: the type of matter, the amount of matter, and how fast the atoms are moving.
Temperature measures how hot or cold matter is. If the atoms in matter slow down, the temperature goes down. The matter now has both less thermal energy and a lower temperature.
What happens if the amount of matter changes? A 2-kilogram brick at 70°F has twice as much thermal energy as a 1-kilogram brick at 70°F. The two bricks have the same temperature, but the larger brick has twice as many atoms. So, it has twice as much thermal energy. | The two buckets of water are made of the same material and have the same mass. So, the bucket of water with less thermal energy has a lower temperature. |
Would you find the word dark on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
decision - does | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade3 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since dark is not between the guide words decision - does, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear mason,",
"Dear Mason,"
] | 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. Mason is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Red velvet cupcakes were Carrie's Achilles's heel when she was trying to eat more healthily. | [
"the Bible",
"Greek mythology"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion Achilles's heel is Greek mythology.
In Greek mythology, Achilles's mother dips him in a river that protects his body wherever it touches. His heel does not get wet, so it is the one part of his body left unprotected. During the Trojan War, an arrow hits Achilles in the heel and kills him.
The allusion Achilles's heel means a sole weakness. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Gabrielle acquired this trait? | [
"Gabrielle learned how to knit in an after school program.",
"Gabrielle knits sweaters using cotton, wool, and other types of yarn."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Gabrielle knows how to knit sweaters. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
What do these two changes have in common?
melting wax
your breath becoming visible on a cold day | [
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are chemical changes."
] | 2 | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Melting wax is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. The wax changes from solid to liquid. But it is still made of the same type of matter.
Your breath becoming visible on a cold day is a change of state. So, it is a physical change. Water vapor in your breath touches the cold air outside and becomes liquid. The water vapor changes state, but it is made of water. A different type of matter is not formed.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. No new matter is created.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. They are not chemical changes.
Both are caused by heating.
Wax melting is caused by heating. But your breath becoming visible on a cold day is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Your breath becoming visible on a cold day is caused by cooling. But melting wax is not. |
|
Select the mixture. | [
"chicken soup",
"salt"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Mixtures | Identify mixtures | A pure substance is made of only one type of matter.
A mixture is made of two or more types of matter mixed together. | ||
Based on this information, what is this cucumber plant's phenotype for the fruit sheen trait? | [
"Ff",
"dull fruit"
] | 1 | In a group of cucumber plants, some individuals have dull fruit and others have glossy fruit. In this group, the gene for the fruit sheen trait has two alleles. The allele F is for dull fruit, and the allele f is for glossy fruit.
A certain cucumber plant from this group has dull fruit. This plant has one allele for dull fruit and one allele for glossy fruit. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: genotype and phenotype | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait. | An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait. The cucumber plant's observable version of the fruit sheen trait is dull fruit. So, the plant's phenotype for the fruit sheen trait is dull fruit. |
Answer the riddle.
I am small.
I like to play.
My mom is a dog.
What am I? | [
"a puppy",
"a kitten"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade1 | language science | vocabulary | Comprehension strategies | What am I? | A puppy is small.
A puppy likes to play.
A puppy's mom is a dog. |
||
Select the vertebrate. | [
"bess beetle",
"Caribbean reef octopus",
"tiger",
"metallic tarantula"
] | 2 | Hint: Mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are vertebrates. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify vertebrates and invertebrates | Vertebrates and invertebrates are both groups of animals.
A vertebrate has a backbone. The backbone is made of many bones in an animal's back. A vertebrate's backbone helps connect the different parts of its body. In the drawings below, each vertebrate's backbone is colored orange.
An invertebrate does not have a backbone. In fact, invertebrates do not have any bones! Some invertebrates have an outer cover on their body called an exoskeleton. Other invertebrates have a soft body. | A tiger is a mammal. Like other mammals, a tiger is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A bess beetle is an insect. Like other insects, a bess beetle is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
Like other octopuses, a Caribbean reef octopus is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a soft body.
Like other tarantulas, a metallic tarantula is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton. |
Does the sentence use a simile or a metaphor?
Lauren went down the slide face-first, like a penguin. | [
"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. | Lauren went down the slide face-first, like a penguin.
The words Lauren and penguin are compared using the word like. So, the sentence uses a simile. |
|
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"Your Nephew,\nNoah",
"Your nephew,\nNoah"
] | 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 text uses the word factoid in its traditional sense? | [
"Deion seemed to know a lot about African wildlife, but it turned out that his knowledge was mostly based on factoids gleaned from unreliable websites.",
"Deion subscribed to an online newsletter about African wildlife; he enjoyed receiving daily factoids about the wild animals' natural habitats and behavior."
] | 0 | 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 first text uses factoid in its traditional sense: something made up presented as a true fact.
Deion seemed to know a lot about African wildlife, but it turned out that his knowledge was mostly based on factoids gleaned from unreliable websites.
The second text uses factoid in its nontraditional sense: a trivial but true fact.
Deion subscribed to an online newsletter about African wildlife; he enjoyed receiving daily factoids about the wild animals' natural habitats and behavior.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word factoid because it is considered more standard. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
bond - business | [
"broken",
"beach"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since broken is between the guide words bond - business, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Since Emma Wilkinson became vice president of the parent-teacher association, student performance has declined and teacher morale is down. We on the school board believe that Wilkinson bears sole responsibility for the downtrend. | [
"false causation: the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other",
"hasty generalization: a very broad claim based on very little evidence"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | a personal attack meant to discredit one's opponent
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
red herring | the use of a completely unrelated topic in support of a claim
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a very broad claim based on very little evidence
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that Emma Wilkinson is responsible for the decline in student performance and teacher morale. However, even though things declined after Wilkinson became vice president of the parent-teacher association, that doesn't necessarily mean that she caused the downturn. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as false causation. |
|
Which is a sentence fragment? | [
"I sent an email to my teacher she wrote me back.",
"The three explorers in the big forest."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | writing-strategies | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is it a complete sentence, a fragment, or a run-on? | A sentence is a group of words that forms a complete thought. It has both a subject and a verb.
My friends walk along the path.
A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. It is usually missing a subject or a verb.
Knows the answer.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a subject.
Who knows the answer? She knows the answer.
The bright red car.
This is a sentence fragment. It is missing a verb.
What did the bright red car do? The bright red car stopped.
A run-on sentence is made up of two sentences that are joined without end punctuation or with just a comma.
I knocked on the door it opened.
It started raining, we ran inside.
To fix a run-on sentence, separate it into two sentences. Add end punctuation after the first sentence, and capitalize the second sentence.
I knocked on the door. It opened.
It started raining. We ran inside.
You can also fix a run-on sentence by rewriting it as a compound sentence. A compound sentence is two sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
I knocked on the door, and it opened.
It started raining, so we ran inside. | The three explorers in the big forest is a sentence fragment. It is missing a verb. |
|
Read the following excerpt 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 removing the sentence about the egrets' expanded range",
"by providing the description of egrets when they are first introduced"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Editing and revising | Suggest appropriate revisions | During peer review, you read and respond to a fellow student's writing. While there are many methods and strategies that you can use for reviewing a text, it is generally helpful to frame your suggestions in concrete and constructive ways and to consider the following areas for revision:
Ideas and development: Does the writer express a clear idea and develop it with evidence, examples, or analysis?
Organization: Does the writer order ideas in a clear, logical way so that they build on one another and are easy to follow?
Voice: Does the writer maintain an appropriate voice, such as a formal and objective voice in an academic essay or an engaging and expressive voice in a narrative essay?
Sentence fluency: Does the writer use sentences that vary in structure and length to create a sense of rhythm and flow within and between sentences, or does the writing sound choppy, rambling, or repetitive?
Word choice: Does the writer use words accurately and precisely to create clear, effective, and engaging writing?
Grammar and mechanics: Does the writer follow appropriate conventions, using accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar to create writing that is correct and easy to read? | The writer could best improve his or her organization by 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. |
|
Which is smoother? | [
"rock wall",
"chalk"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. Some examples of properties are shiny, hard, fragile, and stretchy.
For example, a shiny material reflects a lot of light. A fragile material breaks when you drop it. | Smooth is a property. A smooth material is not rough or bumpy.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine touching the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the chalk is smoother. If you touch a piece of chalk, it will not feel rough or bumpy. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"Several competent city council members have been elected in Newport, but the mayor's office has prevented the council members from significantly influencing policy.",
"The citizens of Newport have elected several competent city council members, but the mayor's office has prevented them from significantly influencing policy."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun them could refer to the citizens or several competent city council members.
The citizens of Newport have elected several competent city council members, but the mayor's office has prevented them from significantly influencing policy.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. The text has been rewritten so that the meaning is clear.
Several competent city council members have been elected in Newport, but the mayor's office has prevented the council members from significantly influencing policy. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Devin acquired this trait? | [
"Devin has three jump ropes, each made of a different material.",
"Devin won a competition at his school with his jump rope tricks.",
"Devin's sister taught him how to do tricks with a jump rope."
] | 2 | Read the description of a trait.
Devin knows how to do tricks with a jump rope. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
Which text uses the word can in its traditional sense? | [
"Kimi can type using a keyboard with a QWERTY layout, but she prefers the Dvorak layout. The two keyboards have different arrangements of letters and symbols.",
"If Kimi prefers a keyboard with the Dvorak layout, she can use mine. In my opinion, it's faster than typing on a keyboard with a QWERTY layout."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The first text uses can in its traditional sense: to have the ability to.
Kimi can type using a keyboard with a QWERTY layout, but she prefers the Dvorak layout. The two keyboards have different arrangements of letters and symbols.
The second text uses can in its nontraditional sense: to have permission to.
If Kimi prefers a keyboard with the Dvorak layout, she can use mine. In my opinion, it's faster than typing on a keyboard with a QWERTY layout.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word can because it is considered more standard. |
|
Adapted from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "Hiawatha's Friends" and from William Cullen Bryant, "Robert of Lincoln" | [
"All the many sounds of nature\nBorrowed sweetness from his songs;\nAll the hearts of men were softened\nBy the sadness of his music;\nFor he sang of peace and freedom,\nSang of beauty, love, and longing.",
"Six white eggs on a bed of hay,\nFlecked with purple, a pretty sight:\nThere as the mother sits all day,\nRobert is singing with all his might,\nBob-o'-link, bob-o'-link,\nSpink, spank, spink."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | reading-comprehension | Poetry elements | Identify elements of poetry | Poetry is a special kind of writing. It has many elements that make it different from ordinary writing. Knowing these elements can help you talk about poetry, understand it better, and enjoy it more.
A poem rhymes when it has a pattern of words that end in the same sound.
End rhyme is when the rhymes appear at the end of a poem's lines.
Little Betty Blue,
Lost her holiday shoe.
—From Mother Goose
Internal rhyme is when at least one of the rhyming words appears inside the poem's lines.
Sweet dreams of pleasant streams.
—From William Blake, "A Cradle Song"
Rhythm is the pattern of strong and weak syllables, or stress, in a poem. You can recognize rhythm in a poem by listening to how it sounds. Poems with regular rhythm have a beat, like in music.
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.
—From Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "The Eagle"
The syllables in bold are strong. We say them with more force than the other syllables. In this poem, every weak syllable is followed by a strong syllable. Each line sounds like da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM. To better hear the rhythm, try reading it aloud while clapping on each strong syllable.
Free verse is when a poem has neither a regular rhythm nor a rhyme pattern.
The old bridge has a wrinkled face.
He bends his back
For us to go over.
—From Hilda Conkling, "The Old Bridge"
The syllables in bold are strong. You can see this poem does not have a regular rhythm. It also doesn't have a rhyme pattern.
Repetition is when words, phrases, or whole lines are repeated.
The dainty flying squirrel
In vest of shining white,
In coat of silver gray,
And vest of shining white.
—Adapted from Mary E. Burt, "The Flying Squirrel"
Alliteration is when beginning consonant sounds are repeated in words that are close together.
Where the wild men watched and waited
Wolves in the forest, and bears in the bush.
—From Bayard Taylor, "A Night with a Wolf"
Onomatopoeia is when language sounds like what it talks about.
Sometimes the onomatopoeia uses made-up words:
Tlot-tlot! tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse hoofs ringing clear.
—From Alfred Noyes, "The Highwayman"
Sometimes the onomatopoeia uses real words:
Hark! the honey bee is humming.
—From Mary Howitt, "The Voice of Spring" | This poem uses end rhyme. Its rhymes come at the end of its lines.
Flecked with purple, a pretty sight:
Spink, spank, spink. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Victor is not qualified to run the Environmental Club. Have you seen his sister's huge, horrifically inefficient car? The planet cries whenever she turns on the ignition. | [
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something",
"slippery slope fallacy: the false assumption that a small first step will lead to extreme consequences",
"false dichotomy: an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | an attack against the person making the argument, rather than the argument itself
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a broad claim based on too few observations
slippery slope fallacy | the false assumption that a small first step will necessarily lead to extreme consequences
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that Victor isn't qualified to run the Environmental Club because his sister drives a fuel inefficient car. However, the behavior of Victor's sister does not necessarily reflect Victor's own behavior. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as guilt by association. |
|
Which phrase has a more positive connotation? | [
"something special",
"something strange"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | 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. | Something special has a more positive connotation. Something special is unusual, but in a good way. Something strange is unusual, but in a bad way. |
|
Which press release is more formal? | [
"On November 19, the Castroville Amphitheater will host area musicians vying for top honors in the fourth annual Jam-a-thon.",
"On Nov. 19, musicians from all over town will battle it out in the fourth annual Jam-a-thon, happening at the amphitheater."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | writing-strategies | Audience, purpose, and tone | Which text is most formal? | Informal writing is typically used in casual situations or when communicating with someone you know well. Informal language often expresses familiarity and tends to sound more like speech. It uses more conversational language, such as slang, idioms, abbreviations, imprecise language, and contractions.
Formal writing is typically used in academic and business writing or when writing directly to an authority figure. It tends to be more courteous and impersonal, avoiding overly familiar or conversational language.
Compare the following sentences.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but I think they're awesome.
More formal: Ostriches may be flightless, but they're remarkable runners.
Most formal: Though flightless, ostriches are remarkable runners. | The second press release is more formal. It uses more elevated language (area musicians, top honors). The other press release uses idioms (battle it out) and abbreviations (Nov.). |
|
Which type of sentence is this?
Danny took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. | [
"simple",
"compound",
"compound-complex",
"complex"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | 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.
Danny took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
rust forming on a metal gate
photosynthesis | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 2 | 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.
Rust forming on a metal gate is a chemical change. As the gate rusts, the metal turns into a different type of matter called rust. Rust is reddish-brown and falls apart easily.
Photosynthesis is a chemical change. Plants make sugar using carbon dioxide, water, and energy from sunlight.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Complete the sentence.
A conifer's cones make (). | [
"seeds",
"flowers",
"needles"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Plants | Describe and construct conifer life cycles | Conifers are plants that grow cones. Conifers use their cones to reproduce, or make new plants like themselves. How do conifers use their cones to reproduce?
Conifers can grow male and female cones. Male cones make pollen, and female cones make eggs. Pollination is what happens when wind blows pollen from male cones onto female cones. After pollination, sperm from the pollen can combine with eggs. This is called fertilization. The fertilized eggs grow into seeds.
The seeds can fall out of the cones and land on the ground. When a seed lands on the ground, it can germinate, or start to grow into a new plant. | Conifers use their cones to make seeds. Seeds grow inside the female cones.
Many conifers have thin pointed leaves called needles. Cones do not make needles.
Conifers do not have flowers. |
|
Which tense does the sentence use?
The kids will toss the ball to each other. | [
"present tense",
"past tense",
"future tense"
] | 2 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | verbs | Verb tense | Is the sentence in the past, present, or future tense? | Present tense verbs tell you about something that is happening now.
Most present-tense verbs are regular. They have no ending, or they end in -s or -es.
Two verbs are irregular in the present tense, to be and to have. You must remember their forms.
Past tense verbs tell you about something that has already happened.
Most past-tense verbs are regular. They end in -ed.
Some verbs are irregular in the past tense. You must remember their past-tense forms.
Future tense verbs tell you about something that is going to happen.
All future-tense verbs use the word will.
Present | Past | Future
walk, walks | walked | will walk
go, goes | went | will go | The sentence is in future tense. You can tell because it uses will before the main verb, toss. The verb tells you about something that is going to happen. |
|
Compare the motion of three ships. Which ship was moving at the lowest speed? | [
"a ship that moved 230miles east in 10hours",
"a ship that moved 220miles south in 10hours",
"a ship that moved 240miles west in 10hours"
] | 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 ship moved and the time it took to move that distance. The direction each ship moved does not affect its speed.
Notice that each ship moved for 10 hours. The ship that moved 220 miles moved the shortest distance in that time. So, that ship must have moved at the lowest speed. |
|
Select the one substance that is not a mineral. | [
"Potassium feldspar is a pure substance. It is a solid.",
"Magnetite is formed in nature. It is not made by living things.",
"Bronze is made by humans. It is a solid."
] | 2 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | earth-science | Rocks and minerals | Identify minerals using properties | Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. A rock can be made of one or more minerals.
Minerals and rocks have the following properties:
Property | Mineral | Rock
It is a solid. | Yes | Yes
It is formed in nature. | Yes | Yes
It is not made by organisms. | Yes | Yes
It is a pure substance. | Yes | No
It has a fixed crystal structure. | Yes | No
You can use these properties to tell whether a substance is a mineral, a rock, or neither.
Look closely at the last three properties:
Minerals and rocks are not made by organisms.
Organisms make their own body parts. For example, snails and clams make their shells. Because they are made by organisms, body parts cannot be minerals or rocks.
Humans are organisms too. So, substances that humans make by hand or in factories are not minerals or rocks.
A mineral is a pure substance, but a rock is not.
A pure substance is made of only one type of matter. Minerals are pure substances, but rocks are not. Instead, all rocks are mixtures.
A mineral has a fixed crystal structure, but a rock does not.
The crystal structure of a substance tells you how the atoms or molecules in the substance are arranged. Different types of minerals have different crystal structures, but all minerals have a fixed crystal structure. This means that the atoms and molecules in different pieces of the same type of mineral are always arranged the same way.
However, rocks do not have a fixed crystal structure. So, the arrangement of atoms or molecules in different pieces of the same type of rock may be different! | Compare the properties of each substance to the properties of minerals. Select the substance whose properties do not match those of minerals.
Potassium feldspar is a mineral.
Magnetite is a mineral.
Bronze is made by humans. But minerals are not made by living things.
So, bronze is not a mineral. |
|
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most famous documents in United States history. A declaration of independence is a document created by the people of one country to say they are no longer part of another country. Which of the following is an example of a declaration of independence? | [
"a document saying that the United States had won World War II",
"a document stating that the United States was no longer part of the British Empire",
"a document declaring that the United States would no longer allow slavery",
"a document describing the major laws of the federal government"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | social science | us-history | The American Revolution | Source analysis: the Declaration of Independence | A declaration of independence is a document that states that the people of one country will no longer be part of another country. So, the United States's Declaration of Independence stated that the people of the United States would no longer be part of the British Empire.
Many people believe that the laws of the United States are in the Declaration of Independence, but that is not correct. Those laws are in the Constitution. |
||
Is there a surplus or a shortage of apple juice? | [
"shortage",
"surplus"
] | 1 | A bottle of apple juice costs $3. The grocery store has 80 bottles for sale. At that price, 50 people want to buy one. | closed choice | grade5 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Identify shortage and surplus | There is a surplus if there is too much for sale at a given price.
There is a shortage if there is not enough for sale at a given price.
Surpluses and shortages usually happen when people who are selling goods or services charge too much or too little.
When the price is too high, consumers will not want to buy much of the good or service. The quantity demanded will be less than the quantity supplied. So, there will be a surplus.
When the price is too low, too many consumers will want to buy the good or service. The quantity demanded will be more than the quantity supplied. So, there will be a shortage. | At the current price, there are too many bottles of apple juice for sale. There are 80 bottles for sale, but only 50 people want to buy one.
So, there is a surplus of apple juice. The grocery store will not get any money for the leftover bottles. |
What do these two changes have in common?
a piece of avocado turning brown
roasting a marshmallow over a campfire | [
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 1 | 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 piece of avocado turning brown is a chemical change. The avocado reacts with oxygen in the air to form a different type of matter.
If you scrape off the brown part of the avocado, the inside will still be green. The inside hasn't touched the air. So the chemical change hasn't happened to that part of the avocado.
Roasting a marshmallow is a chemical change. The type of matter on the outside of the marshmallow changes. As a marshmallow is roasted, it turns brown and crispy.
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.
Roasting is caused by heating. But a piece of avocado turning brown is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
How long does it take to make a sandwich? | [
"2 minutes",
"2 hours"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose units of time | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that the bus leaves in 7. You might be thinking, 7 what? Does the bus leave in 7 minutes? 7 seconds?
The number 7 on its own does not give you much information about when the bus is leaving. That is because the units are missing.
Time is usually measured in units of seconds, minutes, or hours. It takes about 1 second to sneeze and 1 minute to get dressed in the morning. It takes about 1 hour to bake a pie in the oven.
There are 60 seconds in 1 minute. So, 1 second is much less than 1 minute.
There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. So, 1 minute is much less than 1 hour. | The better estimate for how long it takes to make a sandwich is 2 minutes.
2 hours is too slow. |
Complete the sentence.
Plants making food from sunlight, air, and water is a (). | [
"chemical change",
"physical change"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Identify physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
Cutting a piece of paper is a physical change. The cut pieces are still made of paper.
A change of state is a type of physical change. For example, ice melting is a physical change. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water. | Plants making food is a chemical change. Plants use energy from sunlight to change air and water into food. The food is sugar. Sugar is a different type of matter than air or water. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a movie? | [
"\"The Hunt for Red October\"",
"***The Hunt for Red October***"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Formatting titles | The title of a book, movie, play, TV show, magazine, or newspaper should be in italics. If you write it by hand, it can be underlined instead.
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The title of a poem, song, article, or short story should be in quotation marks.
"You Are My Sunshine" | A movie should be in italics.
The correct title is **The Hunt for Red October**. |
|
What does the verbal irony in this text suggest?
"Someone had better turn on the heat," Leah said, sweat glistening on her face. | [
"The temperature was too warm.",
"The temperature was too cool."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses verbal irony, which involves saying one thing but implying something very different.
Someone had better turn on the heat ironically suggests that the temperature was too warm. Leah did not think that more heat was needed; she was already sweating. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Mitch has naturally curly hair. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 0 | 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. | Some humans are born with naturally curly hair. Others are born with naturally straight hair. Curly and straight are examples of hair texture.
Some people decide to change how their hair looks. But this doesn't affect the natural texture of their hair. So, having naturally curly hair is an inherited trait. |
|
Would you find the word wardrobe on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
wharf - wisdom | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade6 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since wardrobe is not between the guide words wharf - wisdom, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"If Denise's skirt doesn't match the blouse, she will have to exchange the blouse for another item.",
"If Denise'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 second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun it could refer to Denise's skirt or the blouse.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. It has been replaced with the blouse.
If Denise's skirt doesn't match the blouse, she will have to exchange the blouse for another item. |
|
Based on this information, what is this Channel catfish's genotype for the body color gene? | [
"BB",
"a brown body"
] | 0 | In a group of Channel catfish, some individuals have a brown body and others have a white body. In this group, the gene for the body color trait has two alleles. The allele B is for a brown body, and the allele b is for a white body.
A certain Channel catfish from this group has a brown body. This catfish has two alleles for a brown body. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: genotype and phenotype | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait. | An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. The Channel catfish has two alleles for a brown body (B). So, the catfish's genotype for the body color gene is BB. |
Which would stretch more? | [
"glass marbles",
"rubber balloons"
] | 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. | 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 balloons would stretch more. If you pull on a rubber balloon, it will get longer. |
|
The movers lift the boxes at the same speed. Which box is lifted with a larger force? | [
"a box holding 39 pounds",
"a box holding 27 pounds"
] | 0 | Two movers are putting heavy boxes into their truck. The boxes are the same shape and size. Each mover lifts one box up into the truck at a time. | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | How do mass and force affect motion? | A force is a push or a pull.
A force can make an object start moving or stop an object that is moving. A force can also make an object speed up, slow down, or change direction.
Forces can be different sizes.
Think about trying to move a heavy object and a light object. Imagine you want to move them at the same speed. You will need to use a larger force to move the heavy object. | Look for the box that is heavier.
A box holding 39 pounds is heavier than a box holding 27 pounds. So, the box holding 39 pounds needs a larger force to start moving upward at the same speed as the other box. |
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
berry - bucket | [
"brass",
"bath"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since brass is between the guide words berry - bucket, it would be found on that page. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
Please let me know how I can be of service. | [
"imperative",
"exclamatory"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement. It tells about something. A declarative sentence always ends with a period.
I have an older brother and a younger sister.
An interrogative sentence is a question. It asks something. An interrogative sentence always ends with a question mark.
How tall are you?
An imperative sentence is a command. It makes a request or tells someone to do something. An imperative sentence usually ends with a period. If the command shows strong feeling, it ends with an exclamation point.
Read the first chapter by next week.
Look out for that car!
An exclamatory sentence is like a statement, but it shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.
Some whales are over ninety feet long!
I can't wait until tomorrow! | The sentence makes a request, so it is an imperative sentence. Here, it ends with a period. |
|
According to Newton's third law, what other force must be happening? | [
"The door is pulling on Kelsey's hand.",
"The door is pushing on Kelsey's hand."
] | 1 | 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:
Kelsey's hand is pushing on a door. | closed choice | grade6 | 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. | Kelsey's hand is pushing on the door. So, Newton's third law tells you that the door is pushing on Kelsey's hand. |
Which is softer? | [
"metal garbage can",
"nylon shorts"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Materials | Compare properties of materials | Every object is made of one or more materials. A material is a type of matter. Wood, glass, metal, and plastic are common materials.
A material has different properties. A material's properties tell you how it looks, feels, tastes, or smells. | Soft is a property. A soft material changes shape when you press on it.
Look at each picture, one at a time. Imagine touching the material shown in each picture.
Of the choices, the nylon shorts are softer. Nylon fabric changes shape when you press on it. |
|
Compare the motion of two motorboats. Which motorboat was moving at a higher speed? | [
"a motorboat that moved 180kilometers in 5hours",
"a motorboat that moved 340kilometers in 5hours"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | Force and motion | Compare the speeds of moving objects | An object's speed tells you how fast the object is moving. Speed depends on both distance and time.
Distance tells you how far the object has moved. One unit used to measure distance is the kilometer.
Time tells you how long the object has spent moving. One unit used to measure time is the hour.
Think about two objects moving for the same amount of time. The object that is moving faster will go a farther distance in that time. It is moving at a higher speed. | Look at the distance each motorboat moved and the time it took to move that distance.
One motorboat moved 340 kilometers in 5 hours.
The other motorboat moved 180 kilometers in 5 hours.
Notice that each motorboat spent the same amount of time moving. The motorboat that moved 340 kilometers moved a farther distance in that time. So, that motorboat must have moved at a higher speed. |
|
Suppose Nicholas decides to join the Theater Club. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Nicholas will give up the chance to be in the Photography Club. He would have had more fun in the Photography Club than in the Theater Club.",
"Nicholas will save some time. He would have spent more time in the Photography Club than in the Theater Club."
] | 0 | Nicholas 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 Nicholas wants or needs:
Nicholas will give up the chance to be in the Photography Club. He would have had more fun in the Photography Club than in the Theater Club. |
What kind of sentence is this?
Please hold your applause until all performers have concluded their acts. | [
"interrogative",
"imperative",
"exclamatory"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement and always ends with a period.
The nurse told Mr. Abrams to roll up his sleeve so that she could check his blood pressure.
An imperative sentence makes a request or a demand and usually ends with a period. If a demand shows strong feeling, it can end with an exclamation point.
For this assignment, use references to support your claims.
Don't drive so quickly in the construction zone!
An interrogative sentence asks a question and always ends with a question mark.
Given the recent critiques of her new strategic plan, do you think the CEO will reconsider the company's direction?
An exclamatory sentence is a statement that shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamation always ends with an exclamation point.
I can't wait to travel through Europe this summer! | The sentence makes a request, so it is an imperative sentence. Here, it ends with a period. |
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