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Which text uses the word nauseous in its traditional sense? | [
"Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but it made Tommy feel rather nauseous.",
"Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but Tommy found the smell rather nauseous."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The first text uses nauseous in its traditional sense: causing disgust or nausea.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but Tommy found the smell rather nauseous.
The second text uses nauseous in its nontraditional sense: feeling disgusted or nauseated.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the magnolia-scented candle, but it made Tommy feel rather nauseous.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word nauseous because it is considered more standard. |
|
Based on this information, what is Pandora's phenotype for the coat pattern trait? | [
"a black coat",
"Aa"
] | 0 | In a group of jaguars, some individuals have a black coat and others have a spotted coat. In this group, the gene for the coat pattern trait has two alleles. The allele A is for a black coat, and the allele a is for a spotted coat.
Pandora, a jaguar from this group, has a black coat. Pandora has one allele for a black coat and one allele for a spotted coat. | 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. Pandora's observable version of the coat pattern trait is a black coat. So, Pandora's phenotype for the coat pattern trait is a black coat. |
Assume all other forces on Rita are balanced. Which statement describes the forces on Rita? | [
"The forces are balanced, so there is no net force on Rita.",
"The forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on Rita."
] | 1 | Rita is sitting on a roller coaster cart as it reaches the bottom of a big loop. Earth's gravity is pulling down on Rita with a force of 600N. The seat of the cart is pushing up on Rita with a force of 1,200N. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | physics | Velocity, acceleration, and forces | Balanced and unbalanced forces | A force is a push or a pull that acts on an object. Every force has a direction and a magnitude, or strength. If two forces act on an object in opposite directions, the forces are called opposing forces.
When opposing forces have the same magnitude, they are balanced. If all the forces on an object are balanced, there is no net force on the object.
When opposing forces have different magnitudes, the forces are unbalanced. If any forces on an object are unbalanced, there is a net force on the object. | To determine if there is a net force on Rita, look at the forces:
Earth's gravity is pulling Rita down with a force of 600 N.
The seat of the cart is pushing Rita up with a force of 1,200 N.
The forces are in opposite directions, and the forces have different magnitudes: 600 N and 1,200 N. This means that the forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on Rita. |
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Never lend money to your friends. Before long, they'll start treating you like an ATM. | [
"slippery slope fallacy: the false assumption that a small first step will lead to extreme consequences",
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something",
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself"
] | 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 lending money to your friends will lead to constant demands for money. However, this argument offers only an extreme outcome and ignores other possible outcomes. For instance, you may lend money to a friend in a special circumstance without it changing your other friends' behavior. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as the slippery slope fallacy. |
|
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"The plastic toothbrush was one of the most brilliant inventions in the history of the world.",
"Centuries ago, the Chinese invented the toothbrush by attaching pig hairs to a bamboo handle."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | social science | civics | Social studies skills | Identify facts and opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true. Facts can be proved by observing, measuring, or studying information.
The flag of the United States has 13 stripes.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at the flag and counting the number of stripes.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
The flag of the United States is easy to draw.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about what makes a flag "easy" to draw. | The second sentence states a fact.
Centuries ago, the Chinese invented the toothbrush by attaching pig hairs to a bamboo handle.
It can be proved by looking up the history of toothbrushes.
The first sentence states an opinion.
The plastic toothbrush was one of the most brilliant inventions in the history of the world.
Most brilliant shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about whether the toothbrush was a brilliant invention. |
|
Which correctly shows the title of a movie? | [
"everything but the Best",
"Everything but the Best"
] | 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 words but and the are not important, so they should not be capitalized.
The correct title is Everything but the Best. |
|
Select the one animal that has all of the insect traits listed above. | [
"Monarch butterflies have an exoskeleton and six legs. Monarch butterflies use their wings to migrate, or travel back and forth, across thousands of miles every year. They fly from Canada or the United States to Mexico in the late summer and fall. Monarch butterflies use their one pair of antennae to help keep them flying in the right direction.",
"Trichina worms have soft, thin bodies. They have a cylindrical shape and do not have limbs. Trichina worms are not made up of segments. They can infect and feed off of humans, pigs, and other mammals."
] | 0 | Insects are a group of animals with similar traits. The following traits can be used to identify insects:
They have six legs.
They have an exoskeleton.
They have one pair of antennae. Observe the animals and read the descriptions. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Classification | Use evidence to classify animals | Scientists sort animals with similar traits into groups. This is called classification. Classification helps scientists learn about how animals live.
How do scientists classify animals? First, they make observations about an animal. Scientists observe the animal's traits, including its body parts and behavior. Then, scientists compare the animal's traits to other animals' traits. Scientists classify animals with similar traits into a group. | To decide if an animal is part of a group, look at the traits of the group.
Insects have the following traits:
They have six legs.
They have an exoskeleton.
They have one pair of antennae.
Compare each animal's traits to the group's traits. Select the animal with traits similar to the group's traits.
A monarch butterfly has the following traits:
It has six legs.
It has an exoskeleton.
It has one pair of antennae.
A monarch butterfly has the traits of an insect. A monarch butterfly is an insect.
A trichina worm has the following traits:
A trichina worm does not have all of the traits of an insect. A trichina worm is a roundworm. |
Which announcement is more formal? | [
"The Fairfax Law Firm is pleased to announce . . .",
"The Fairfax Law Firm is so happy to tell you . . ."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | 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 announcement is more formal. It uses more elevated language (pleased to announce). The other announcement sounds more conversational (so happy). |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Levi inherited this trait? | [
"Levi's biological mother has long hair. Levi also has long hair.",
"Levi's biological parents have wavy hair.",
"Levi uses a headband to keep his wavy hair out of his face."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Levi 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 type of sentence is this?
Adam always approaches difficult tasks enthusiastically, and he frequently motivates others with his energy and fervor. | [
"compound-complex",
"simple",
"complex",
"compound"
] | 3 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | grammar | Phrases and clauses | Is the sentence simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) is not a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw the flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard a rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause in a complex sentence usually begins with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun. Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, and while. Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, or whose.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids.
During his trip to Italy, Tony visited the Trevi Fountain, which is in Rome.
A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
After Samantha left work, she stopped at the bank, and then she went to the gym.
Sometimes a dependent clause in a complex or compound-complex sentence can interrupt an independent clause.
Orcas that are kept in captivity often have bent dorsal fins. | The sentence is compound. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction and.
Adam always approaches difficult tasks enthusiastically, and he frequently motivates others with his energy and fervor. |
|
Suppose Harper decides to borrow the book from the library. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Harper will give up the chance to keep the book as long as she wants.",
"Harper will save some money by not buying the book."
] | 0 | Harper is deciding whether to buy a copy of a book or borrow it from the library. She would like to be able to keep the book as long as she wants, but buying the book would cost money. She could borrow the book for free, but she would have to return it in a few weeks. | closed choice | grade5 | social science | economics | Basic economic principles | Costs and benefits | Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need. | This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Harper wants or needs:
Harper will give up the chance to keep the book as long as she wants. |
Based on this information, what is Clyde's phenotype for the coat pattern trait? | [
"white spots",
"solid coloring"
] | 1 | In a group of cows, some individuals have solid coloring and others have white spots. In this group, the gene for the coat pattern trait has two alleles. The allele for solid coloring (A) is dominant over the allele for white spots (a).
Clyde is a cow from this group. Clyde has the heterozygous genotype Aa for the coat pattern 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 Clyde's phenotype for the coat pattern trait. First, consider the alleles in Clyde's genotype for the coat pattern gene. Then, decide whether these alleles are dominant or recessive.
The allele for solid coloring (A) is dominant over the allele for white spots (a). This means A is a dominant allele, and a is a recessive allele.
Clyde'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, Clyde's phenotype for the coat pattern trait must be solid coloring. |
Which sentence is more formal? | [
"Museum members get ten percent off the things they buy in the museum gift shop.",
"Museum members receive a ten-percent discount on all items purchased at the museum gift shop."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Author's purpose and tone | Which sentence is more formal? | Formal writing is used for essays, business letters, and reports. The following types of informal language should be avoided in formal writing:
Type | Examples
slang | cool, awesome
idioms | knock your socks off
conversational language | gonna, kinda, yeah
abbreviated language | ASAP, FYI
overly simple or imprecise language | he got some stuff at the store
contractions | can't, won't
Contractions are not as informal as the other types, but they should be used sparingly in formal writing.
Compare the following sentences. The first is informal. The second is formal.
Informal: Yeah, ostriches can't fly, but they're awesome runners.
Formal: Though ostriches are flightless, they are remarkably adept runners.
| The second sentence is less formal. You can tell because it uses overly simple or imprecise language (get, things).
The first sentence uses more precise language, so it is more formal overall. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Colin has a scar on his left hand. | [
"acquired",
"inherited"
] | 0 | Hint: Most scars are caused by accidents during a person's life. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | Children do not inherit their parent's scars. Instead, scars are caused by the environment. People can get scars after they get hurt. So, having a scar is an acquired trait. |
What is the mass of a cherry pie? | [
"3 tons",
"3 ounces",
"3 pounds"
] | 2 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of mass | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Mass is a measurement of how much matter something contains.
There are many different units of mass. When you are using customary units, mass may be written with units of ounces, pounds, or tons.
There are 16 ounces in 1 pound and 2,000 pounds in 1 ton.
So, 1 ounce is less than 1 pound and much less than 1 ton.
A slice of bread has a mass of about 1 ounce, while a can of beans has a mass of about 1 pound. A small car has a mass of about 1 ton. | The best estimate for the mass of a cherry pie is 3 pounds.
3 ounces is too light and 3 tons is too heavy. |
Would you find the word upset on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
unhappy - usual | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 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 upset is between the guide words unhappy - usual, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear Marco,",
"dear Marco,"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | language science | capitalization | Capitalization | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Marco is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
From the look on her face, Layla is carrying an albatross around her neck. | [
"Egyptian history",
"a poem"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion an albatross around her neck is a poem.
In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," a sailor shoots and kills an albatross, an action that curses the ship and crew. As his crew members die, the Ancient Mariner feels his guilt hanging like the albatross around his neck.
The allusion an albatross around her neck means a burden a person must bear. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Lindsey can ride a bicycle. | [
"inherited",
"acquired"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Identify inherited and acquired traits | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Children do not inherit their parents' acquired traits. | People are not born knowing how to ride a bicycle. Instead, many people learn how to ride. So, riding a bicycle is an acquired trait. |
|
Which professional objective on a résumé is more formal? | [
"I seek a position in the beauty field with an emphasis on client relations and sales.",
"I would really enjoy being a makeup artist and selling makeup, too."
] | 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 professional objective on a résumé is more formal. It uses more elevated language (a position in the beauty field, an emphasis on client relations). The other professional objective sounds more imprecise (really enjoy) and conversational. |
|
Based on this information, what is Odette's phenotype for the leg color trait? | [
"Ll",
"white legs"
] | 1 | In a group of chickens, some individuals have white legs and others have yellow legs. In this group, the gene for the leg color trait has two alleles. The allele L is for white legs, and the allele l is for yellow legs.
Odette, a chicken from this group, has white legs. Odette has one allele for white legs and one allele for yellow legs. | 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. Odette's observable version of the leg color trait is white legs. So, Odette's phenotype for the leg color trait is white legs. |
Where was Thomas Jefferson from? | [
"Pennsylvania",
"Virginia",
"England",
"Canada"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | social science | us-history | Historical figures | Thomas Jefferson | Thomas Jefferson was from Virginia.
Virginia was a British colony when Thomas Jefferson was born. Virginia was the first of the Thirteen Colonies in North America. More colonists lived in Virginia than in any other British colony.
Thomas Jefferson was not from England. England was a different part of the British Empire. |
||
What information supports the conclusion that Felix inherited this trait? | [
"Felix's biological mother often wears her naturally brown hair in a bun.",
"Felix and his biological father have short hair.",
"Felix and his siblings all have naturally straight hair."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Felix has naturally brown 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 figure of speech is used in this text?
After spending weeks in New York City, Sophia was a bit unnerved by the deafening silence of her small hometown. | [
"euphemism",
"oxymoron"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: euphemism, hyperbole, oxymoron, paradox | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected. | The text uses an oxymoron, a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Deafening silence is a contradiction, because deafening describes something extremely loud, and silence is the absence of sound. |
|
Would you find the word heed on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
hang - hinge | [
"yes",
"no"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade5 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since heed is between the guide words hang - hinge, it would be found on that page. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"We can pack our bags tonight, or we can wait until morning.",
"After dinner I brush my teeth very carefully."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple or compound? | A simple sentence is a sentence with only one subject and predicate.
The pitcher threw the ball to first base.
A compound sentence is two simple sentences joined by a comma and a conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
The pitcher threw the ball, and the batter hit it.
Some simple sentences have a compound subject or a compound predicate, but they are not compound sentences.
Anna and James will watch the fireworks tonight.
This simple sentence has a compound subject, Anna and James.
The singers bowed and walked off the stage.
This simple sentence has a compound predicate, bowed and walked off the stage.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but they are not compound sentences. The introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Farmer Ben wears his heavy coat.
This is a simple sentence. There is one subject, Farmer Ben, and one predicate, wears his heavy coat in the winter. | The first sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two simple sentences joined by a comma and the conjunction or.
We can pack our bags tonight, or we can wait until morning. |
|
Which is a complete sentence? | [
"We danced for hours, we were tired.",
"Kathleen spilled apple juice on the carpet."
] | 1 | 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. | Kathleen spilled apple juice on the carpet is a complete sentence. The subject is Kathleen, and the verb is spilled. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
peeling a banana
carving a piece of wood | [
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are caused by heating."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, ice melting is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Peeling a banana is a physical change. The peel is not covering the rest of the fruit anymore. But both the peel and the banana are still made of the same type of matter as before.
Carving a piece of wood is a physical change. The wood changes shape, but it is still made of the same type of matter.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. No new matter is created.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. They are not chemical changes.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
What do these two changes have in common?
molding clay into the shape of a pot
a rock heating up in a campfire | [
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are chemical changes.",
"Both are only physical changes."
] | 3 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Chemical changes and physical changes are two common ways matter can change.
In a chemical change, the type of matter changes. The types of matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. When paper gets hot enough, it reacts with oxygen in the air and burns. The paper and oxygen change into ash and smoke.
In a physical change, the type of matter stays the same. The types of matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, ice melting is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Ice and liquid water are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Molding clay into the shape of a pot is a physical change. The clay gets a different shape. But it is made of the same type of matter.
A rock heating up in a campfire is a physical change. The temperature of the rock goes up, but the rock is still made of the same type of matter.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. No new matter is created.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are physical changes. They are not chemical changes.
Both are caused by heating.
A rock heating up in a campfire is caused by heating. But molding clay is not.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
scene - sped | [
"stallion",
"so"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since so is between the guide words scene - sped, it would be found on that page. |
|
Does this passage describe the weather or the climate?
The wind is blowing in from the east in Newark, New Jersey, tonight. | [
"weather",
"climate"
] | 0 | Hint: Weather is what the atmosphere is like at a certain place and time. Climate is the pattern of weather in a certain place. | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | earth-science | Weather and climate | What's the difference between weather and climate? | The atmosphere is the layer of air that surrounds Earth. Both weather and climate tell you about the atmosphere.
Weather is what the atmosphere is like at a certain place and time. Weather can change quickly. For example, the temperature outside your house might get higher throughout the day.
Climate is the pattern of weather in a certain place. For example, summer temperatures in New York are usually higher than winter temperatures. | Read the text carefully.
The wind is blowing in from the east in Newark, New Jersey, tonight.
This passage tells you about the wind direction in Newark tonight. It describes the atmosphere at a certain place and time. So, this passage describes the weather. |
Which is a complete sentence? | [
"Lucy spilled apple juice on the carpet.",
"The judge talks about the new law, everyone listens."
] | 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. | Lucy spilled apple juice on the carpet is a complete sentence. The subject is Lucy, and the verb is spilled. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Brittany's phone slipped out of her pocket, landing in the toilet with a plop. | [
"verbal irony",
"onomatopoeia"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at the beginning of nearby words.
What a lucky little lady you are!
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood literally. Its meaning must be learned.
The assignment was a piece of cake.
A simile uses like or as to compare two things that are not actually alike.
The cat's fur was as dark as the night.
A metaphor compares two things that are not actually alike without using like or as.
The snow formed a blanket over the town.
Onomatopoeia involves using a word that expresses a sound.
The scrambled eggs hit the floor with a splat.
Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things.
The trees danced in the wind.
A pun involves using a word or phrase in a humorous way that suggests more than one meaning.
A great new broom is sweeping the nation.
Verbal irony involves saying one thing but implying something very different. People often use verbal irony when they are being sarcastic.
Olivia seems thrilled that her car keeps breaking down.
Each breakdown is as enjoyable as a punch to the face. | The text uses onomatopoeia, a word that expresses a sound.
Plop represents the sound of the phone landing in the toilet. |
|
Which figure of speech is used in this text?
Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet!
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Julie, or the New Heloise | [
"antithesis",
"anaphora"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade11 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Classify the figure of speech: review | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or words at the beginning of several phrases or clauses.
We are united. We are powerful. We are winners.
Antithesis involves contrasting opposing ideas within a parallel grammatical structure.
I want to help, not to hurt.
Apostrophe is a direct address to an absent person or a nonhuman entity.
Oh, little bird, what makes you sing so beautifully?
Assonance is the repetition of a vowel sound in a series of nearby words.
Try to light the fire.
Chiasmus is an expression in which the second half parallels the first but reverses the order of words.
Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off.
Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally.
I ate so much that I think I might explode!
An oxymoron is a joining of two seemingly contradictory terms.
Some reviewers are calling this book a new classic.
A paradox is a statement that might at first appear to be contradictory, but that may in fact contain some truth.
Always expect the unexpected.
Understatement involves deliberately representing something as less serious or important than it really is.
As you know, it can get a little cold in the Antarctic. | The text uses antithesis, the contrasting of opposing ideas within a parallel grammatical structure.
Rousseau contrasts two parallel clauses, patience is bitter and fruit is sweet. |
|
Read the following text from a student essay. How can the writer best improve his or her sentence fluency?
If I became student council president, I would make significant changes at my school. I would help my fellow students by being the voice of the student body and communicating openly and effectively with the principal, board of education, school faculty and staff, and parents. For example, I would make every effort to represent students' interests on issues such as mobile phones in the classroom, healthy lunch options in the cafeteria, and improved showers and lockers in our gymnasium. In addition, I would focus on organizing more social events for students, including talent shows, sports tournaments, fashion shows, dances with exciting themes, and battle of the band competitions. | [
"by varying sentence length",
"by combining sentences containing related information"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | writing-strategies | Editing and revising | Suggest appropriate revisions | When you review a fellow student's writing, try to make your feedback clear and specific. You can use questions such as the following to guide your feedback:
Ideas and development: Does the writer express a clear main idea and develop it with evidence, examples, and analysis?
Organization: Does the writer order ideas in a clear, logical way so that the ideas build on one another and are easy to follow?
Sentence fluency: Do the writer's sentences vary in structure and length, or does the writing sound choppy, rambling, or repetitive?
Word choice: Does the writer use words accurately and precisely, avoiding excessive repetition or inappropriate language to create clear, effective, and engaging writing?
Grammar and mechanics: Does the writer use accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar to create writing that is correct and easy to read? | The writer could best improve his or her sentence fluency by varying sentence length.
For example, the writer could shorten the underlined sentences to make the text read more smoothly.
If I became student council president, I would make significant changes at my school. I would help my fellow students by being the voice of the student body and communicating openly and effectively with the principal, board of education, school faculty and staff, and parents. For example, I would make every effort to represent students' interests on issues such as mobile phones in the classroom, healthy lunch options in the cafeteria, and improved showers and lockers in our gymnasium. In addition, I would focus on organizing more social events for students, including talent shows, sports tournaments, fashion shows, dances with exciting themes, and battle of the band competitions. |
|
Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference? | [
"At lunchtime, John can often be found reading at his favorite café, where the servers provide unlimited coffee refills.",
"At lunchtime, John can often be found reading at his favorite café, where they provide unlimited coffee refills."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Pronouns | Identify vague pronoun references | When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes. | The first answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun they is used without its antecedent.
The second answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. They has been replaced with the servers.
At lunchtime, John can often be found reading at his favorite café, where the servers provide unlimited coffee refills. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
Polly felt intimidated by the steep cliff that she faced on her first rock-climbing adventure. | [
"interrogative",
"declarative",
"exclamatory"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement and always ends with a period.
The nurse told Mr. Abrams to roll up his sleeve so that she could check his blood pressure.
An imperative sentence makes a request or a demand and usually ends with a period. If a demand shows strong feeling, it can end with an exclamation point.
For this assignment, use references to support your claims.
Don't drive so quickly in the construction zone!
An interrogative sentence asks a question and always ends with a question mark.
Given the recent critiques of her new strategic plan, do you think the CEO will reconsider the company's direction?
An exclamatory sentence is a statement that shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamation always ends with an exclamation point.
I can't wait to travel through Europe this summer! | The sentence is a statement and ends with a period. It is a declarative sentence. |
|
Is a computer 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 computer is a good or a service, ask these questions:
Is a computer something you can touch? Yes.
Is a computer a job you might pay someone else to do? No.
So, a computer is a good. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Bridgette acquired this trait? | [
"Bridgette is in the Air Force. She flies a plane almost every day.",
"Bridgette can fly a plane on cloudy days and at night.",
"A pilot taught Bridgette how to fly a plane."
] | 2 | Read the description of a trait.
Bridgette 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 sentence states a fact? | [
"Ennio Morricone composed the music for the 1969 spaghetti western Once Upon a Time in the West.",
"The 1969 spaghetti western Once Upon a Time in the West is director Sergio Leone's worst movie."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Distinguish facts from opinions | A fact is something that can be proved by research or observation.
Napoleon Bonaparte was shorter than King Louis XVI.
The statement above is a fact. The statement can be proved by researching the height of each man and comparing them.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved.
Napoleon Bonaparte was a better leader than King Louis XVI.
The statement above is an opinion. People can have different ideas about what makes someone a "better" leader, so the statement cannot be proved. | The second sentence states a fact.
Ennio Morricone composed the music for the 1969 spaghetti western Once Upon a Time in the West.
It can be proved by looking up information about Ennio Morricone in a movie database.
The first sentence states an opinion.
The 1969 spaghetti western Once Upon a Time in the West is director Sergio Leone's worst movie.
Worst shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about which movie is a director's best or worst. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Mr. Delgado argues that we need to do more to prevent workplace injuries and fatalities. I doubt that someone so socially awkward would know a thing about office safety. | [
"ad hominem: a personal attack against one's opponent",
"appeal to nature: the assumption that natural things are always good"
] | 0 | closed choice | 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 being socially awkward determines knowledge of workplace safety. This is a personal attack that isn't relevant to Mr. Delgado's desire to prevent workplace injuries. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as ad hominem. |
|
Which change best matches the sentence?
The ground in an area shakes and trembles. | [
"earthquake",
"flood",
"erosion"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | earth-science | Earth events | Classify changes to Earth's surface I | |||
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
The scenery () the art students, who admired it in appreciative silence. | [
"was inspiring to",
"spoke to"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | writing-strategies | Creative techniques | Use personification | Personification is giving human characteristics to nonhuman things. It is a figure of speech that can be used to make writing more interesting or to emphasize a point.
The trees danced in the wind.
The word danced describes the trees as if they were people. Unlike people, however, trees can't actually dance. Instead, the personification suggests that the trees are moving. | Complete the sentence with the phrase spoke to. It describes the scenery as if it were a person who speaks. |
|
How long is a ladybug? | [
"10 kilometers",
"10 millimeters",
"10 centimeters",
"10 meters"
] | 1 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose metric units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using metric units, length can be written with units of millimeters, centimeters, meters, or kilometers. One meter contains 100 centimeters or 1,000 millimeters. So, 1 meter is larger than 1 centimeter, and 1 centimeter is larger than 1 millimeter.
The tip of the pencil shown here is only 1 millimeter wide, but the pencil is about 16 centimeters long.
A red fox is about 1 meter long. The Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia is about 1,000 meters, or 1 kilometer, in length. | The best estimate for the length of a ladybug is 10 millimeters.
10 centimeters, 10 meters, and 10 kilometers are all too long. |
Which word does not rhyme? | [
"seat",
"life",
"heat"
] | 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 seat and heat rhyme. They both end with the eat sound.
The word life does not rhyme. It ends with a different sound. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Don't feel bad about serving your children that sweet fruit punch with high fructose corn syrup in it. It's derived from real corn, so it must not cause the same health problems as completely artificial sweeteners. | [
"guilt by association: a negative association intended to discredit someone or something",
"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 | 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 drinks with high fructose corn syrup aren't bad for you because high fructose corn syrup is derived from a natural ingredient. However, a sweetener isn't necessarily healthy just because it's derived from a natural ingredient. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as an appeal to nature. |
|
Complete the sentence so that it uses personification.
As Michael rushed down the hill, the wind () his ears. | [
"sang in",
"rushed by"
] | 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 sang in. It describes the wind as if it were a singer. |
|
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Kurt is good at baking. | [
"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 bake. Instead, many people learn how to bake. So, baking is an acquired trait. |
|
Which is a simple sentence? | [
"If we hike Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon, we won't see Mooney Falls.",
"Mr. Joseph peeled the tangerine and divided it into sections."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The second sentence is the simple sentence. It is a single independent clause.
Mr. Joseph peeled the tangerine and divided it into sections. |
|
Based on this information, what is Dusty's phenotype for the body hair trait? | [
"a hairless body",
"a hairy body"
] | 0 | In a group of cats, some individuals have a hairy body and others have a hairless body. In this group, the gene for the body hair trait has two alleles. The allele for a hairless body (b) is recessive to the allele for a hairy body (B).
Dusty is a cat from this group. Dusty has the homozygous genotype bb for the body hair gene. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: dominant and recessive | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait.
Some traits, like flower color in pea plants, are controlled by a single gene. Most plants and animals have a genotype made up of two alleles for these traits. These two alleles determine whether an organism is homozygous or heterozygous for the gene.
An organism with two identical alleles for a gene is homozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype FF or ff is homozygous for the flower color gene.
An organism with two different alleles for a gene is heterozygous for that gene. A pea plant with the genotype Ff is heterozygous for the flower color gene.
The types of alleles in an organism's genotype determine the organism's phenotype. Some alleles have types called dominant and recessive. These two types can cause different versions of a trait to appear as the organism's phenotype.
A dominant allele causes its version of the trait to appear even when the organism also has a recessive allele for the gene. In pea plants, the F allele, which causes purple flowers, is dominant over the f allele. A pea plant with at least one F allele will have the F allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype FF or Ff will have purple flowers.
A recessive allele causes its version of the trait to appear only when the organism does not have any dominant alleles for the gene. In pea plants, the f allele, which causes white flowers, is recessive to the F allele. A pea plant with only f alleles will have the f allele's version of the flower color trait. So, a plant with the genotype ff will have white flowers. | Dusty's genotype for the body hair gene is bb. Dusty's genotype of bb has only b alleles. The b allele is for a hairless body. So, Dusty's phenotype for the body hair trait must be a hairless body.
To check this answer, consider whether Dusty's alleles are dominant or recessive. The allele for a hairless body (b) is recessive to the allele for a hairy body (B). This means B is a dominant allele, and b is a recessive allele.
Dusty's genotype of bb has only recessive alleles. An organism with only recessive alleles for a gene will have the recessive allele's version of the trait. So, Dusty's phenotype for the body hair trait must be a hairless body. |
How long does it take to tie your shoes? | [
"23 minutes",
"23 seconds"
] | 1 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade3 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose units of time | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that the bus leaves in 7. You might be thinking, 7 what? Does the bus leave in 7 minutes? 7 seconds?
The number 7 on its own does not give you much information about when the bus is leaving. That is because the units are missing.
Time is usually measured in units of seconds, minutes, or hours. It takes about 1 second to sneeze and 1 minute to get dressed in the morning. It takes about 1 hour to bake a pie in the oven.
There are 60 seconds in 1 minute. So, 1 second is much less than 1 minute.
There are 60 minutes in 1 hour. So, 1 minute is much less than 1 hour. | The better estimate for how long it takes to tie your shoes is 23 seconds.
23 minutes is too slow. |
Using only these supplies, which question can Ian investigate with an experiment? | [
"Which of the three types of tomato seeds sprouts the fastest?",
"Does a certain kind of tomato plant grow taller when planted in a clay pot or in a plastic pot?",
"Which type of soil will cause a certain kind of tomato plant to grow the most fruit?"
] | 0 | Ian and his classmates are growing tomato plants in the school garden. He wonders what factors affect how tomato plants grow. So, he decides to design an experiment. He has the following supplies available:
three different types of tomato seeds
one bag of potting soil
five identical clay pots
water | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"love,\nRobert",
"Love,\nRobert"
] | 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 closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Which word would you find on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
welcome - worst | [
"whom",
"wait"
] | 0 | closed choice | 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 whom is between the guide words welcome - worst, it would be found on that page. |
|
Using only these supplies, which question can Alexandra investigate with an experiment? | [
"Does dark chocolate or white chocolate melt faster when heated on the stove?",
"Does milk chocolate melt faster when heated in a microwave or on a stove?",
"Does milk chocolate or dark chocolate melt faster when heated on the stove?"
] | 2 | Alexandra leaves some chocolates in her jacket pocket. When she finds the chocolates later, she notices that some of them have melted. She wonders what factors affect how quickly chocolate melts. So, she decides to design an experiment. She has the following supplies available:
one bar of milk chocolate
one bar of dark chocolate
a stove
a pot | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | science-and-engineering-practices | Designing experiments | Identify questions that can be investigated with a set of materials | Experiments can be designed to answer specific questions. When designing an experiment, you must identify the supplies that are necessary to answer your question. In order to do this, you need to figure out what will be tested and what will be measured during the experiment.
Imagine that you are wondering if plants grow to different heights when planted in different types of soil. How might you decide what supplies are necessary to conduct this experiment?
First, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be tested, which is the independent variable. This is usually the part of the experiment that is different or changed. In this case, you would like to know how plants grow in different types of soil. So, you must have different types of soil available.
Next, you need to identify the part of the experiment that will be measured or observed, which is the dependent variable. In this experiment, you would like to know if some plants grow taller than others. So, you must be able to compare the plants' heights. To do this, you can observe which plants are taller by looking at them, or you can measure their exact heights with a meterstick.
So, if you have different types of soil and can observe or measure the heights of your plants, then you have the supplies you need to investigate your question with an experiment! | |
What do these two changes have in common?
making paper from wood
silver jewelry tarnishing | [
"Both are caused by cooling.",
"Both are caused by heating.",
"Both are only physical changes.",
"Both are chemical changes."
] | 3 | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | chemistry | Chemical reactions | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form different molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Some chemical changes are caused by heating or cooling. For example, burning a piece of paper is a chemical change caused by heating. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then link together in a different way to form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are formed when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. Changes of state can be caused by heating or cooling. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change that can be caused by heating. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water.
The law of conservation of mass says that all physical and chemical changes conserve mass. Conserve means to keep the same. So, the total mass before a physical or chemical change is equal to the total mass after the change. | Step 1: Think about each change.
Making paper from wood is a chemical change. Paper is made by mixing tiny pieces of wood with special chemicals. The wood reacts with the chemicals to form pulp. Wood and pulp are different types of matter.
Metal turning less shiny over time is called tarnishing. Silver jewelry tarnishing is a chemical change. The silver reacts with sulfur in the air to form black tarnish. The tarnish is a different type of matter that was not there before the change.
Step 2: Look at each answer choice.
Both are only physical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. They are not physical changes.
Both are chemical changes.
Both changes are chemical changes. The type of matter before and after each change is different.
Both are caused by heating.
Neither change is caused by heating.
Both are caused by cooling.
Neither change is caused by cooling. |
|
Which would stretch more? | [
"brick path",
"wool hat"
] | 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 wool hat would stretch more. If you pull the sides of a wool hat, it will get wider. |
|
Select the vertebrate. | [
"opossum",
"bess beetle",
"rock lobster",
"fireworm"
] | 0 | 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 bess beetle is an insect. Like other insects, a bess beetle is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A rock lobster is a crustacean. Like other crustaceans, a rock lobster is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
An opossum is a mammal. Like other mammals, an opossum is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A fireworm is a worm. Like other worms, a fireworm is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has a soft body. |
Select the vertebrate. | [
"mole",
"hissing cockroach",
"fly",
"grasshopper"
] | 0 | 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 fly is an insect. Like other insects, a fly is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A grasshopper is an insect. Like other insects, a grasshopper is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton.
A mole is a mammal. Like other mammals, a mole is a vertebrate. It has a backbone.
A hissing cockroach is an insect. Like other insects, a hissing cockroach is an invertebrate. It does not have a backbone. It has an exoskeleton. |
Which text uses the word disinterested in its traditional sense? | [
"Francesca is happy with her position as class treasurer. Though she would have the support of the student council, she is disinterested in running for student body president.",
"Francesca is excellent in her position as class treasurer. She always manages to be disinterested in student council debates about the allocation of extracurricular funds."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade9 | language science | writing-strategies | Word usage and nuance | Explore words with new or contested usages | Words change in meaning when speakers begin using them in new ways. For example, the word peruse once only meant to examine in detail, but it's now also commonly used to mean to look through in a casual manner.
When a word changes in meaning, its correct usage is often debated. Although a newer sense of the word may be more commonly used, many people consider a word's traditional definition to be the correct usage. Being able to distinguish the different uses of a word can help you use it appropriately for different audiences.
Britney perused her notes, carefully preparing for her exam.
The traditional usage above is considered more standard.
David perused the magazine, absentmindedly flipping through the pages.
The nontraditional usage above is now commonly used, but traditional style guides generally advise against it. | The first text uses disinterested in its traditional sense: unbiased or impartial.
Francesca is excellent in her position as class treasurer. She always manages to be disinterested in student council debates about the allocation of extracurricular funds.
The second text uses disinterested in its nontraditional sense: uninterested or indifferent.
Francesca is happy with her position as class treasurer. Though she would have the support of the student council, she is disinterested in running for student body president.
Most style guides recommend to use the traditional sense of the word disinterested because it is considered more standard. |
|
What does the allusion in this text suggest?
Liam seems to have the Midas touch. Without any special experience or training, he launched a thriving business and then established a well-respected charity. | [
"Liam is successful at all that he does.",
"Liam has a hands-on approach to his work."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret figures of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
An allusion is a brief reference to something or someone well known, often from history or literature.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked. | The text uses an allusion, a brief reference to someone or something well known.
The allusion the Midas touch suggests that Liam is successful at all that he does. In Greek mythology, King Midas has the power to turn anything he touches into gold, easily creating value from nothing. |
|
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
"Edward's personality is very Jekyll and Hyde," Christine told her brother. | [
"literature",
"a song"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion Jekyll and Hyde is literature.
Robert Louis Stevenson's popular Victorian novella Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde tells the story of a man with two distinct personalities. Known to the world as a kind and highly respected doctor, at night he transforms into a monstrous person.
The allusion Jekyll and Hyde means kind then cruel. |
|
Which object has more thermal energy? | [
"a 100-gram glass of apple juice at a temperature of 50°F",
"a 100-gram glass of apple juice at a temperature of 75°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 glasses of apple juice have the same mass but different temperatures. Since the 75°F glass of apple juice is hotter than the 50°F glass of apple juice, it has more thermal energy. |
Complete the sentence.
According to the Ninth Amendment, the Constitution lists () of the rights of the American people. | [
"none",
"some",
"all"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade4 | social science | civics | Government | The Bill of Rights | The Ninth Amendment says that the Constitution lists only some of the rights of the American people. In other words, people have rights other than the ones listed in the Constitution. Even if the Constitution doesn't list a right, the right might still exist. The Bill of Rights lists some rights. But it is not meant to be a complete list of all rights. The full text of the Ninth Amendment is below. The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. |
||
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"Thank You,\nBrenda",
"Thank you,\nBrenda"
] | 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 closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
Which type of sentence is this?
An avid reader, Liam attends weekly book club meetings, and he finishes several novels every month. | [
"compound",
"simple",
"complex",
"compound-complex"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | grammar | Phrases and clauses | Is the sentence simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) is not a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw the flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard a rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause in a complex sentence usually begins with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun. Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, and while. Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, or whose.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids.
During his trip to Italy, Tony visited the Trevi Fountain, which is in Rome.
A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
After Samantha left work, she stopped at the bank, and then she went to the gym.
Sometimes a dependent clause in a complex or compound-complex sentence can interrupt an independent clause.
Orcas that are kept in captivity often have bent dorsal fins. | The sentence is compound. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction and.
An avid reader, Liam attends weekly book club meetings, and he finishes several novels every month. |
|
Which type of sentence is this?
Justin took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. | [
"compound-complex",
"simple",
"compound",
"complex"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | grammar | Phrases and clauses | Is the sentence simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause (or subordinate clause) is not a complete thought and cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw the flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard a rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause in a complex sentence usually begins with a subordinating conjunction or relative pronoun. Subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, and while. Relative pronouns include that, which, who, whom, or whose.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids.
During his trip to Italy, Tony visited the Trevi Fountain, which is in Rome.
A compound-complex sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
After Samantha left work, she stopped at the bank, and then she went to the gym.
Sometimes a dependent clause in a complex or compound-complex sentence can interrupt an independent clause.
Orcas that are kept in captivity often have bent dorsal fins. | The sentence is simple. It is a single independent clause.
Justin took several incredible panoramic photographs of the sweeping view from the top of Table Mountain. |
|
What does the euphemism in this text suggest?
Herman is big-boned, so despite being in middle school, he often shops in the men's department. | [
"Herman is overweight.",
"Herman is tall for his age."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade12 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Interpret the figure of speech | Figures of speech are words or phrases that use language in a nonliteral or unusual way. They can make writing more expressive.
A euphemism is a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The head of Human Resources would never refer to firing people, only to laying them off. | The text uses a euphemism, a polite or indirect expression that is used to de-emphasize an unpleasant topic.
The euphemism big-boned suggests that Herman is overweight. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Sally never lies. She told me herself, so it must be true. | [
"false causation: the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other",
"circular reasoning: an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade7 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | a personal attack meant to discredit one's opponent
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
red herring | the use of a completely unrelated topic in support of a claim
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a very broad claim based on very little evidence
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that Sally is telling the truth because she says she never lies. However, the "evidence" is just a restatement of the claim itself. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as circular reasoning. |
|
According to Newton's third law, what other force must be happening? | [
"The suitcase is pushing on Terrell.",
"The suitcase is pulling on Terrell."
] | 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:
Terrell is pulling on a full suitcase. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | physics | Velocity, acceleration, and forces | Predict forces using Newton's third law | According to Newton's third law, for every force, there is an equal and opposite force. This means that if one object is applying a force on a second object, the second object must also be applying a force on the first object, but in the opposite direction.
For example, if your hand is pushing down on a table, the table is also pushing up on your hand. Or, if you are pulling forward on a rope, the rope is also pulling back on you. | Terrell is pulling on the suitcase. So, Newton's third law tells you that the suitcase is pulling on Terrell. |
How long is a bus route across a small town? | [
"3 inches",
"3 yards",
"3 feet",
"3 miles"
] | 3 | Select the best estimate. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of distance, mass, and volume | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
When you are using customary units, length may be written with units of inches, feet, yards, or miles.
There are 12 inches in 1 foot, and 3 feet in 1 yard. There are 5,280 feet in 1 mile.
A football is about 1 foot long. A football field is 100 yards long. | The best estimate for the length of a bus route across a small town is 3 miles.
3 inches, 3 feet, and 3 yards are all too short. |
Which statement describes the sled's motion? | [
"The sled has a constant velocity.",
"The sled is accelerating."
] | 1 | A sled is slowing down at the bottom of a snowy hill. | closed choice | grade8 | natural science | physics | Velocity, acceleration, and forces | Identify whether objects are accelerating | An object's velocity describes its speed and its direction.
An object has a constant velocity when neither its speed nor its direction is changing. So, an object has a constant velocity when the object is:
moving in a straight line at a constant speed, or
remaining motionless.
If an object does not have a constant velocity, the object is accelerating. An object is accelerating when either its speed or its direction is changing. So, an object is accelerating when the object is:
speeding up,
slowing down, or
changing direction. | The sled is slowing down. So, the sled is accelerating. |
Complete the sentence.
Crushing a mineral into powder is a (). | [
"chemical change",
"physical change"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | chemistry | Physical and chemical change | Compare physical and chemical changes | Matter is made of very small particles called atoms. Atoms can be linked together by chemical bonds. When two or more atoms link together, they form a molecule.
In a chemical change, the chemical bonds in the molecules break. The atoms then link together to form new molecules. The types of molecules in matter before and after a chemical change are always different.
Burning a piece of paper is a chemical change. As paper burns, paper molecules react with oxygen molecules in the air. This reaction breaks the chemical bonds in the molecules. The atoms then relink and form different molecules. For example, carbon dioxide molecules are created when paper burns.
In a physical change, chemical bonds do not break. The types of molecules in matter before and after a physical change are always the same.
A change of state is a type of physical change. For example, water vaporizing is a physical change. Liquid water and water vapor are made of the same type of matter: water. | Crushing a mineral into powder is a physical change. The mineral breaks into tiny pieces. But it is still made of the same type of matter. |
|
Complete the statement. Assume that the ball's mass did not change.
The gravitational potential energy stored between the ball and Earth () as the ball rolled along the lane. | [
"decreased",
"increased",
"stayed the same"
] | 2 | Read the text about an object in motion.
Gabrielle went bowling with some friends. She rolled her ball along the flat bowling lane toward the pins. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | physics | Kinetic and potential energy | Identify changes in gravitational potential energy | Gravitational potential energy is stored between any two objects. So, for every object on or near Earth, there is gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth.
The amount of gravitational potential energy stored between an object and Earth depends on the mass of the object. The amount of gravitational potential energy also depends on the distance between the object and the center of Earth. This distance increases when the object moves higher and decreases when the object moves lower.
If the distance between an object and the center of Earth changes, the gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth will change. The table below shows how this change can happen.
When an object's mass stays the same and its distance from the center of Earth... | Gravitational potential energy stored between the object and Earth...
increases | increases
decreases | decreases
stays the same | stays the same | Think about how the distance between the ball and the center of Earth changed.
Because the bowling lane was flat, each point on the lane was the same distance from the center of Earth. As the ball rolled along the lane, the distance between the ball and the center of Earth stayed the same. So, the gravitational potential energy stored between the ball and Earth stayed the same as the ball rolled along the lane. |
What is the source of the allusion in the sentence below?
Nicholas's remark about your new car is clearly a case of sour grapes. | [
"British history",
"a fable"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade8 | language science | figurative-language | Literary devices | Recall the source of an allusion | An allusion is a brief mention of something or someone well known, often from mythology, history, or literature. An allusion lets you reference ideas from an entire story in just a few words.
"I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin!" Lila remarked.
Here, Lila alludes to the fairy tale "Cinderella," in which Cinderella must leave the ball before the coach that brought her transforms into a pumpkin. The allusion shows that Lila must depart immediately. | The source of the allusion sour grapes is a fable.
In the fable "The Fox and the Grapes," a fox tries unsuccessfully to reach a bunch of grapes. Because he cannot reach them and therefore cannot eat them, he tells himself that they must be sour.
The allusion sour grapes means criticizing something because you can't have it. |
|
Which organizational structure does this text primarily use? | [
"compare-contrast",
"cause-effect"
] | 0 | Read the text.
The males of the Cervidae (deer) family, such as elk, moose, deer, and caribou, grow antlers on their heads. Caribou are the only species in which the females also have antlers. Antlers are branched structures made of bone. Most antlered animals shed them annually in the fall or winter and then grow new antlers in the spring. Horns, unlike antlers, don't fall off but continue to grow throughout the animal's life. Further, horns aren't branched, nor are they made entirely of bone. Horns contain a bony core that is covered with a sheath of keratin, similar to the material of fingernails. Horned animals, which include sheep, cows, bison, and goats, are in the Bovidae family. In many Bovidae species, both females and males have horns. | closed choice | grade8 | language science | writing-strategies | Text structure | Identify text structures | Authors use different text structures to organize their ideas in writing. Learning to identify these structures will help you to understand the relationships between ideas in informational texts. You can also use these structures to organize your own writing.
A cause-effect structure presents the causes and the effects of a particular event, trend, or situation. This structure often uses words and phrases such as because, since, as a result, due to, or consequently.
A compare-contrast structure presents similarities (comparisons) and differences (contrasts) between two or more things. This structure often uses words and phrases such as like, similarly, or in the same way (for comparing) or on the other hand, in contrast, or unlike (for contrasting).
A problem-solution structure presents a problem and suggests one or more possible solutions. This structure often uses words such as issue, question, puzzle, propose, and answer.
A sequential structure describes a series of events that happens in a certain order. This structure often uses specific dates and times or words such as first, next, during, finally, and while. | The text uses a compare-contrast structure to show differences between antlers and horns. In the text, certain words and phrases help to organize ideas in a compare-contrast structure. Notice the words unlike and nor. |
How long is a guitar? | [
"34 inches",
"34 feet"
] | 0 | Select the better estimate. | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | units-and-measurement | Units and measurement | Choose customary units of distance | Measurements are written with both a number and a unit. The unit comes after the number. The unit shows what the number means.
Imagine being told that a pencil is 8 long. You might be thinking, 8 what? Is the pencil 8 inches long? 8 feet? 8 miles?
The number 8 on its own does not give you much information about the length of the pencil. That is because the units are missing.
Now look at the drawing of the pencil and the ruler. The ruler shows that the units are inches. So, the length of the pencil is 8 inches.
There are 12 inches in 1 foot. So, 1 inch is much shorter than 1 foot.
There are 3 feet in 1 yard. So, 1 foot is shorter than 1 yard. | The better estimate for the length of a guitar is 34 inches.
34 feet is too long. |
Which tense does the sentence use?
Molly throws the ball into the hoop. | [
"present tense",
"future tense",
"past tense"
] | 0 | 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 present tense. You can tell because it uses a present-tense verb, throws. The verb ends in -s and tells you about something that is true or happening now. |
|
Which sentence states a fact? | [
"Polar bears are generally cuter than black bears.",
"Black bears are generally smaller than polar bears."
] | 1 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Distinguish facts from opinions | A fact is something that can be proved to be true.
The month of July has more days than the month of June.
This is a fact. It can be proved by looking at a calendar and counting the number of days in each month.
An opinion is something that a person believes, thinks, or feels. An opinion cannot be proved true.
July is a better month than June for camping.
This is an opinion. People may have different opinions about which month is "better" for camping. | The second sentence states a fact.
Black bears are generally smaller than polar bears.
It can be proved by comparing the sizes of black bears and polar bears.
The first sentence states an opinion.
Polar bears are generally cuter than black bears.
Cuter shows what a person believes, thinks, or feels. Another person might have a different opinion about what is cute. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Tracy inherited this trait? | [
"Tracy's parents have dark skin. They passed down this trait to Tracy.",
"Tracy and her father both have dark hair."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Tracy has dark skin. | 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. | |
The city of Millersburg has been one of the world's biggest makers of cough drops for many years. But last month, Millersburg's cough drop factories were destroyed by floods. What will probably happen to the overall supply of cough drops? | [
"The supply will probably go down.",
"The supply will probably go up."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade7 | social science | economics | Supply and demand | Understand overall supply and demand | Overall supply is the total amount of a good or service that producers make and sell. There are several things that can make overall supply go up or down. The table below shows how changes to these things might affect overall supply.
| Resources | Number of producers or suppliers | Expected change in demand
Supply goes up | when resources cost less or are easier to get | when there are more producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go up
Supply goes down | when resources cost more or are harder to get | when there are fewer producers or suppliers | when demand is expected to go down
Producers are people or companies that make goods or provide services. Suppliers are people or companies that sell goods or services. New inventions or technologies can also help workers produce goods and services more quickly. As a result of these changes, the supply of a good or service will often go up. | Floods destroyed the cough drop factories in Millersburg. The number of producers of cough drops went down. So, the supply of cough drops will probably go down. |
|
Complete the sentence.
In this case, the program is a () source because it (). | [
"secondary . . . was made in the 2000s by historians researching African American baseball leagues",
"primary . . . was made for fans at an African American league baseball game in the mid-1900s"
] | 1 | Historians use different kinds of sources to study the past. Sources are books, documents, pictures, or other materials that provide evidence about the past. Primary sources are usually firsthand accounts and are usually created at the time that an event takes place. Secondary sources are usually secondhand accounts, are usually created later in time, and are based on a variety of primary sources.
Imagine that you are a historian who wants to learn more about African American baseball leagues in the mid-1900s. You find the source described below. Read the description of the source. Then complete the sentence below.
A program was given to people who attended a baseball game between the Indianapolis Clowns and the Kansas City Monarchs in the 1950s. These teams played in an African American baseball league. | closed choice | grade6 | social science | world-history | Social studies skills | Identify primary and secondary sources | To learn about the past, historians look at many different sources. Sources are books, documents, pictures, or other materials that provide evidence about the past.
The sources that historians use fall into two categories: primary sources and secondary sources. The category for a source can change depending on what the historian is trying to learn, who created the source, and when it was created.
The table below shows some common characteristics of primary and secondary sources.
| Primary source | Secondary sources
Description | firsthand accounts of a historical event that the historian is studying | secondhand accounts of a historical event that the historian is studying; sources that interpret or analyze many primary sources
Author | usually created or used by a person who participated in the event | usually created by someone who did not participate in the event
Date | usually created at or around the time of the event | usually created after the event
Common examples | speeches; diaries; letters; photographs; artifacts such as household objects; exact copies of sources or artifacts; | textbooks; history books; documentary (non-fiction) films; articles by historians; museum exhibits
Some sources are neither primary nor secondary sources because they do not provide historical information about the topic being studied. For example, a historian would not use a historical novel to learn about an event. Other sources may not relate to a historian's goal. | Keep in mind that you are trying to learn about African American baseball leagues in the mid-1900 s.
In this case, the program is a primary source. It is from the time period and was used by people who participated in the historical event. |
Is the following trait inherited or acquired?
Jessica 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. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Tyler acquired this trait? | [
"Tyler's scar was caused by an accident. He cut his leg when he fell off his skateboard.",
"Tyler's scar is on his left knee. His mother also has a scar on her left knee.",
"Tyler's brother has scars on both of his knees."
] | 0 | Read the description of a trait.
Tyler has a scar on his left knee. | closed choice | grade7 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down from biological parents to their offspring through genes. Genes are pieces of hereditary material that contain the instructions that affect inherited traits. Offspring receive their genes, and therefore gain their inherited traits, from their biological parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. Parents do not pass acquired traits down to their offspring. | |
What does the Ninth Amendment say about rights that are not listed in the Constitution? | [
"People have rights other than the ones listed in the Constitution.",
"People do not have any rights except the ones listed in the Constitution."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | social science | civics | Government | The Bill of Rights | The Ninth Amendment says that people have rights other than the ones listed in the Constitution. The amendment says that even if the Constitution doesn't list a right, the right might still exist. The Bill of Rights lists some rights. But it is not meant to be a complete list of all rights. The full text of the Ninth Amendment is below. The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. |
||
Based on this information, what is Gumdrop's phenotype for the fur color trait? | [
"ff",
"brown fur"
] | 1 | In a group of rabbits, some individuals have black fur and others have brown fur. In this group, the gene for the fur color trait has two alleles. The allele F is for black fur, and the allele f is for brown fur.
Gumdrop, a rabbit from this group, has brown fur. Gumdrop has two alleles for brown fur. | closed choice | grade6 | natural science | biology | Genes to traits | Genetics vocabulary: genotype and phenotype | All organisms have pieces of hereditary material called genes, which are passed from parents to offspring. Genes contain instructions for building the parts of an organism. An organism's genes affect its observable traits, including its appearance, its behavior, and which diseases it may have. Genes may have different alleles, or forms, that can cause different versions of a trait.
For example, flower color is a trait in pea plants. The gene for this trait has two possible alleles. Each allele is represented by an uppercase or lowercase letter. The allele F is for purple flowers, and the allele f is for white flowers. Each pea plant has two alleles for the flower color gene—one allele inherited from each parent.
An organism's genotype for a gene is its combination of alleles for that gene. So, a pea plant may have a genotype of FF, Ff, or ff for the flower color gene.
An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait, which depends on the organism's combination of alleles. A pea plant may have a phenotype of purple flowers or white flowers for the flower color trait. | An organism's phenotype for a trait is its observable version of that trait. Gumdrop's observable version of the fur color trait is brown fur. So, Gumdrop's phenotype for the fur color trait is brown fur. |
Complete the sentence.
Paul Revere played an important role in (). | [
"the American Revolution",
"the Mayflower voyage",
"the Civil War",
"World War II"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | social science | us-history | Historical figures | Paul Revere | Paul Revere played an important role in the American Revolution. The American Revolution took place between 1765 and 1783.
Americans fought the revolution to win freedom from Great Britain. Men and women who fought for freedom from British rule were called Patriots. Paul Revere was one of the most famous Patriots. |
||
Suppose Paul decides to borrow the book from the library. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Paul will give up the chance to keep the book as long as he wants.",
"Paul will save some money by not buying the book."
] | 0 | Paul is deciding whether to buy a copy of a book or borrow it from the library. He would like to be able to keep the book as long as he wants, but buying the book would cost money. He could borrow the book for free, but he would have to return it in a few weeks. | 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 Paul wants or needs:
Paul will give up the chance to keep the book as long as he wants. |
Select the solid. | [
"crown",
"wet paint",
"water in a fishbowl"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade2 | natural science | physics | States of matter | Identify solids, liquids, and gases | Solid, liquid, and gas are states of matter. Matter is anything that takes up space. Matter can come in different states, or forms.
When matter is a solid, it has a shape of its own.
Some solids can be bent or broken easily. Others are hard to bend or break.
A glass cup is a solid. A sock is also a solid.
When matter is a liquid, it takes the shape of its container.
Think about pouring a liquid from a cup into a bottle. The shape of the liquid is different in the cup than in the bottle. But the liquid still takes up the same amount of space.
Juice is a liquid. Honey is also a liquid.
When matter is a gas, it spreads out to fill a space.
Many gases are invisible. So, you can’t see them. Air is a gas. | Wet paint is a liquid. A liquid takes the shape of any container it is in. If you pour wet paint out of a can, the paint will change shape. But the wet paint will still take up the same amount of space.
The water in a fishbowl is a liquid. A liquid takes the shape of any container it is in. If you pour water from a fishbowl into a different container, the water will take the shape of that container. But the water will still take up the same amount of space.
A crown is a solid. A solid has a size and shape of its own. If you put a crown on your head, the crown will keep its shape. |
|
Which is a compound sentence? | [
"My pen pal and I have corresponded with each other for almost ten years, but we have never met in person.",
"According to many scholars, the 1798 publication of Lyrical Ballads by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth began the romantic period in English literature."
] | 0 | closed choice | grade5 | language science | grammar | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence simple, compound, or complex? | A clause is a group of words that contains both a subject and a predicate.
An independent clause is a complete thought. It can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It cannot stand alone as a sentence.
the oranges on our tree are ripe
The clause can stand alone. It is independent.
after we pick up Kevin from work
The clause cannot stand alone. It is dependent.
A simple sentence is made up of a single independent clause.
Ben and I spent all day relaxing by the pool.
Some simple sentences have introductory phrases, but the introductory phrase is part of the predicate.
In the winter, Ben usually wears his heavy coat.
Ben usually wears his heavy coat in the winter.
A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but, or, or so.
We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.
A complex sentence is made up of an independent clause and a dependent clause. The dependent clause usually begins with a subordinating conjunction such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.
If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids. | The first sentence is the compound sentence. It is made up of two independent clauses joined by the coordinating conjunction but.
My pen pal and I have corresponded with each other for almost ten years, but we have never met in person. |
|
What kind of sentence is this?
In the game today, Kiara hit a home run with bases loaded! | [
"exclamatory",
"interrogative",
"declarative"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade10 | language science | punctuation | Sentences, fragments, and run-ons | Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory? | There are four kinds of sentences.
A declarative sentence is a statement and always ends with a period.
The nurse told Mr. Abrams to roll up his sleeve so that she could check his blood pressure.
An imperative sentence makes a request or a demand and usually ends with a period. If a demand shows strong feeling, it can end with an exclamation point.
For this assignment, use references to support your claims.
Don't drive so quickly in the construction zone!
An interrogative sentence asks a question and always ends with a question mark.
Given the recent critiques of her new strategic plan, do you think the CEO will reconsider the company's direction?
An exclamatory sentence is a statement that shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamation always ends with an exclamation point.
I can't wait to travel through Europe this summer! | The sentence is a statement that shows strong feeling and ends with an exclamation point. It is an exclamatory sentence. |
|
Which greeting is correct for a letter? | [
"Dear Grandpa Gary,",
"Dear grandpa gary,"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second greeting is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. Grandpa Gary is capitalized because it is a proper noun. |
|
Suppose Scarlett decides to borrow the book from the library. Which result would be a cost? | [
"Scarlett will give up the chance to keep the book as long as she wants.",
"Scarlett will save some money by not buying the book."
] | 0 | Scarlett is deciding whether to buy a copy of a book or borrow it from the library. She would like to be able to keep the book as long as she wants, but buying the book would cost money. She could borrow the book for free, but she would have to return it in a few weeks. | closed choice | grade5 | social science | economics | Basic economic principles | Costs and benefits | Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need. | This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Scarlett wants or needs:
Scarlett will give up the chance to keep the book as long as she wants. |
Select the living thing. | [
"boxwood shrub",
"swing set",
"house",
"helicopter"
] | 0 | closed choice | grade4 | natural science | biology | Classification | Identify living and nonliving things | All living things are made up of cells. Plants, animals, and some fungi have many cells. Other living things are made up of just one cell.
All living things need food and water. Water helps living things break down food and remove waste. Food gives living things energy. They use energy from food to grow and change.
All living things sense changes in their environment. Living things might sense changes by seeing, smelling, hearing, or feeling. Living things can respond to the changes they sense. | A boxwood shrub is a living thing.
Boxwood shrubs grow and respond to their environment. They need food and water. Boxwood shrubs are made up of many cells.
People cut bushes and shrubs into decorative shapes called topiaries. Topiaries can be cut to look like animals, patterns, or other designs.
A helicopter is not a living thing.
A helicopter does not have all the traits of a living thing. It needs energy to fly, but it does not eat food. Helicopters get energy from gasoline or other fuel. They do not grow.
A house is not a living thing.
Houses do not have all of the traits of living things. They do not grow or respond to their environment. They do not need food or water.
A swing set is not a living thing.
Swing sets do not have all of the traits of living things. They do not grow or respond to their environment. They do not need food or water. |
|
Choose the poem that uses repetition. | [
"The lonely bridge cuts dark across the marsh\nWhose long pools glow with the light\nOf a flaming summer sunset.\nAt this end limp bushes overhang,\nPalely reflected in the amber-colored water.",
"I see the tracks of the railroads of the earth;\nI see them welding State to State, city to city, through North America;\nI see them in Great Britain, I see them in Europe;\nI see them in Asia and in Africa."
] | 1 | From Walt Whitman, "Salut au Monde!" and adapted from J. R. Dos Passos, "The Bridge" | closed choice | grade4 | language science | reading-comprehension | Poetry elements | Identify elements of poetry | Poetry is a special kind of writing. It has many elements that make it different from ordinary writing. Knowing these elements can help you talk about poetry, understand it better, and enjoy it more.
A poem rhymes when it has a pattern of words that end in the same sound.
End rhyme is when the rhymes appear at the end of a poem's lines.
Little Betty Blue,
Lost her holiday shoe.
—From Mother Goose
Internal rhyme is when at least one of the rhyming words appears inside the poem's lines.
Sweet dreams of pleasant streams.
—From William Blake, "A Cradle Song"
Rhythm is the pattern of strong and weak syllables, or stress, in a poem. You can recognize rhythm in a poem by listening to how it sounds. Poems with regular rhythm have a beat, like in music.
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.
—From Alfred, Lord Tennyson, "The Eagle"
The syllables in bold are strong. We say them with more force than the other syllables. In this poem, every weak syllable is followed by a strong syllable. Each line sounds like da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM. To better hear the rhythm, try reading it aloud while clapping on each strong syllable.
Free verse is when a poem has neither a regular rhythm nor a rhyme pattern.
The old bridge has a wrinkled face.
He bends his back
For us to go over.
—From Hilda Conkling, "The Old Bridge"
The syllables in bold are strong. You can see this poem does not have a regular rhythm. It also doesn't have a rhyme pattern.
Repetition is when words, phrases, or whole lines are repeated.
The dainty flying squirrel
In vest of shining white,
In coat of silver gray,
And vest of shining white.
—Adapted from Mary E. Burt, "The Flying Squirrel"
Alliteration is when beginning consonant sounds are repeated in words that are close together.
Where the wild men watched and waited
Wolves in the forest, and bears in the bush.
—From Bayard Taylor, "A Night with a Wolf"
Onomatopoeia is when language sounds like what it talks about.
Sometimes the onomatopoeia uses made-up words:
Tlot-tlot! tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse hoofs ringing clear.
—From Alfred Noyes, "The Highwayman"
Sometimes the onomatopoeia uses real words:
Hark! the honey bee is humming.
—From Mary Howitt, "The Voice of Spring" | This poem uses repetition. It repeats words, phrases, or lines.
I see them in Asia and in Africa. |
Would you find the word balance on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
beetle - brand | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade7 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since balance is not between the guide words beetle - brand, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Would you find the word troupe on a dictionary page with the following guide words?
thrust - town | [
"no",
"yes"
] | 0 | yes or no | grade8 | language science | reference-skills | Reference skills | Use guide words | Guide words appear on each page of a dictionary. They tell you the first word and last word on the page. The other words on the page come between the guide words in alphabetical order.
To put words in alphabetical order, put them in order by their first letters. If the first letters are the same, look at the second letters. If the second letters are the same, look at the third letters, and so on.
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order. For example, be comes before bed. | Put the words in alphabetical order.
Since troupe is not between the guide words thrust - town, it would not be found on that page. |
|
Which logical fallacy is used in the text?
Mr. Livingston argues that we need to do more to prevent workplace injuries and fatalities. I doubt that someone so socially awkward would know a thing about office safety. | [
"bandwagon fallacy: the assumption that the popular choice is automatically correct",
"ad hominem: a personal attack against one's opponent"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade6 | language science | writing-strategies | Developing and supporting arguments | Classify logical fallacies | A strong argument uses valid reasoning and logic in support of a claim. When an argument or claim introduces irrelevant information or misrepresents the issues at hand, it may be committing a logical fallacy. Logical fallacies can hurt a writer's credibility and can lead readers to draw false conclusions.
A logical fallacy may present irrelevant information:
Fallacy | Description
ad hominem | a personal attack meant to discredit one's opponent
appeal to nature | an argument that assumes the natural choice is always the best choice
bandwagon fallacy | an argument that assumes the popular choice is always the best choice
circular reasoning | an argument that supports a claim with the claim itself
guilt by association | an unfair negative association with another person or group that is intended to discredit someone or something
red herring | the use of a completely unrelated topic in support of a claim
A logical fallacy may misrepresent the issues at hand:
Fallacy | Description
false causation | the assumption that because two things happened together, one caused the other
false dichotomy | an argument that presents only two choices when more options exist
hasty generalization | a very broad claim based on very little evidence
straw man | a misrepresentation of an opponent's position that makes it easier to argue against
| The text argues that being socially awkward determines knowledge of workplace safety. This is a personal attack that isn't relevant to Mr. Livingston's desire to prevent workplace injuries. This illustrates a type of logical fallacy known as ad hominem. |
|
Which closing is correct for a letter? | [
"love,\nGabe",
"Love,\nGabe"
] | 1 | closed choice | grade3 | language science | punctuation | Formatting | Greetings and closings of letters | A letter starts with a greeting and ends with a closing. For each one, capitalize the first word and end with a comma. You should also capitalize proper nouns, such as Aunt Sue.
Dear Aunt Sue,
I'm glad you could come to my party, and
thank you for the birthday gift. I could not have
asked for a better one! Every time I see it, I think
of you.
With love,
Rory | The second closing is correct:
Its first word is capitalized, and it ends with a comma. |
|
What information supports the conclusion that Meg inherited this trait? | [
"Meg's hair is the same color as her brown eyes.",
"Meg's father has brown eyes. He passed this trait down to Meg."
] | 1 | Read the description of a trait.
Meg has brown eyes. | closed choice | grade5 | natural science | biology | Traits and heredity | Inherited and acquired traits: use evidence to support a statement | Organisms, including people, have both inherited and acquired traits. Inherited and acquired traits are gained in different ways.
Inherited traits are passed down through families. Children gain these traits from their parents. Inherited traits do not need to be learned.
Acquired traits are gained during a person's life. Some acquired traits, such as riding a bicycle, are gained by learning. Other acquired traits, such as scars, are caused by the environment. |
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